Works, Part 3 · Sermon 14

Works · Part 3 · Sermon 14

p. 339THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON.

Hebr. 13. vers. 17.

Obey them that hauehave the ouersight of you, and submit your selues, for they watch for your soules, as they that must giuegive accounts, that they may doe it with ioy, and not with griefe: for that is vnprofitable for you.

WHensoeuer it pleaseth the Lord God by his prouidence to call me to preach his word vntounto his people (as he hath at this present called me vntounto you (reuerend Fathers and brethren beloued in our Lord Iesus) my desire is to intreate of such a parcell of his most holy word, as may minister matter both to stirre vp and rouse them out of the denne of ignorance which hauehave not knowne Iesus Christ, nor the sweetnes ofNote. his grace, and also to pricke forward them which hauehave receiued some measure of the Spirit of God, assuring them of saluation purchased byA greater studie and care for the increasing of this inestimable treasure. Iesus Christ, to a greater studie and care for to increase this inestimable treasure. The Lord of his great mercy therefore hath presented vntounto me, such a place for my desired purpose, as I hope by the assistance of his holy Spirit shall be profitable both to you & to my selfe. The words are written in the thirteenth chapter of the Epistle to the Hebrues, and in the seuenteenth verse: Obey them that hauehave the ouersight of you, &c. The spirit of God doth most plainly set foorth vntounto vsus in this place:

1 First, what duties the Ministers of God doe owe vntounto his people, declared in these words, They watch for your soules.

2 Secondly, what dutie the people owe vntounto them againe, expressed herein: Obey them that hauehave the ouersight of you, and submit your selues.

3 Thirdly, the fruites that come of weldoing of these duties to both parts, that is, both to the Minister and to the people.

4 Fourthly, what danger it is not to doe them well.

We must first speake of the duties of Ministers. But before we enter into it, it is very necessarie, that we consider whether it be requisite to hauehave a Minister or no, and also to whatThe necessitie of Ministers. vse and end we should hauehave him. For if it were not needfull to hauehave a Pastor, it were in vaine to speake of the dutie of a Minister. Whereas the holy Ghost saith. Obey them that hauehave the ouersight ouer you &c. It is meant of the Pastors of the Church, of the dispensers of the holy word of God. For there were placed ouer the Church of God, both Pastors, DoctorsPastors, Docters and Elders in the Church of God. and Elders, which were certaine graue wise men appointed to looke to the manners of the children of God, and not to be alders and helpers of the Ministers of God in the furtherance of his office: and whereas they saw any disorder among the children of God, they were to admonish them of it; which if it would not serue, together with the whole congregation would vse admonitions: but if they would not be obedient thereunto, such was the authoritie of the Church, that they might excommunicate them, & so rend them off from the Saints fellowship, and deliuer them to the diuell, that thereby they might be driuen to true repentance for their sinnes, and hauehave their soules saued. To these ouerseers doth the Apostle will them to be obedient, and doth not meane generally all kinde of superiors and ciuil Magistrates, as in diuers other places of the Scripture. In Rom. 13. 1. 2. 3. p. 340and Titus 3. 1. also 1. Pet. 2. 13. we must take it in this place according to the Scriptures: in the first Epistle to the Theslasonians, and fist chapter, S. Paul writeth in this sort: Now we 1. Thess. 5. 12. 13.1 Thess 5:121 Thess 5:13beseech you, brethren, that ye acknowledge them, which labour among you, and are ouer you in the This is not meant of ciuill Magistrates, but of the gouernours of the Church. Matth 9. 36. Mark. 6. 34.Matt 9:36Mark 6:34Lord, and admonish you, that ye hauehave them in singular louelove for their workes sake. Be at peace among your selues. Here the Apostle also speaketh of them that rule ouer mens consciences by the ministerie of Gods word, and not of ciuill Magistrates. We see therefore that it is meant that there should be a gouernour ouer eueryevery congregation, which we call in our English tongue a Pastor. Only this remaineth among vsus, that we hauehave Pastors, Doctors, or Teachers and Ministers. How necessarie they are, our Sauiour Christ testifieth in the ninth chapter of his Gospell after S. Matthew: But when he saw the multitude, he had compassion vponupon them, because they were dispersed, and scattered abroad, as sheepe hauing no shepheard. This people by whom our Sauiour Christ spake, had the Scribes and Pharisies, great learnedThe people of God without a shepheard for all the great learning of the Doctors. Matth. 9. 38.Matt 9:38 Clerkes, Doctors of the Law, and yet he saith, that they wanted shepheards: and therefore he willed his Disciples to pray to the Lord of the haruest, that hee would send foorth labourers into his haruest. Whereby he noteth, that those only be true Pastors which be labourers. He likeneth true Ministers to faithfull shepheards, and the people of God to a flocke of sheep, taking the occasion of this similie, according to that countrey where were many mountaines, deserts and wildernesses, so that their sheepe without a shepheard were scattered abroad very dangerously, in that so many wolues and sauage beasts laid waite in eueryevery corner to deuour the sillie sheepe. In like case are they that hauehave not a Pastor, that labourethWho be onelyonly true Ministers. faithfully in preaching the word of God, which is the instrument which God hath appointed to pull his people into the sheepfold of Iesus Christ, where they are without daunger of destruction: when as all they that are without a Pastor, are wandring abroad to theirThe miserie of the people without a Pastor. Matth. 23. 37. Luk. 13. 34.Matt 23:37Luke 13:34 owne destruction: such horrible disorder is there, where Gods word is not truly preached. In another place he saith: O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, how often would I hauehave gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth her chickens vnderunder her wings, and ye would not. This people dwelt all together, they were not scattered here one & there another, but abode whole in that goodly citie of Ierusalem: yet because they were not in the vnitie of the spirit of the household of God, they were scattered abroad in most miserable disorder. For the Church of Iesus Christ is not in one place onelyonly, but dispersed and scattered in diuers places throughout the whole world, and yet are they all of one household, all of one sheepfold, and are vnited together in one spirit: and though we be here, yet are we of the same number and flocke with them in Germany, so long as we are of the true faith of Iesus Christ, for their faith and ours is all one, their spirit and our spirit all one, according to the words of the Apostle: There is one bodie, and one spirit, euen as ye are called in one hope of your Ephe 4. 4. 5. 6.Eph 4:4Eph 4:5Eph 4:6vocation. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptisme, one God and father of all, which is aboue all, and through all, and in you all. We must therefore take this as the Scripture teacheth, thatThe ministerie of the word the most necessarie thing in the world. 1. Pet. 1. 23.1 Pet 1:23 the ministerie of his word is the necessariest thing in the world, which cannot be done without faithfull Pastors and distributers of the same. For when the Lord will beget your soules, which he doth not by mortall seede, but by the immortall seede of his word, he will appoynt you a spirituall father also. He neuer establisheth any kingdome, but he appointeth a King, and when he hath any scholler, he prouideth him a schoolemaster to instruct and teach him his most holy will. For this is most certaine, where a Common-weale is without gouernment, the case is very miserable, one man shall not liue by another. Againe, if there be such gouernours, as vse tyrannie, oppression, and seeke to enrich themselues, gathering and scraping all into their hands; what miserable slauerie shall the poore people be brought into? So it is in the church of God, if such be placed ouer it, as be blind, vnable to feede the flock, such as seeke their owne pleasure, to fill their bellies, to cloathe their backes, to enrich their coffers, and to liue as they list, the people of God shall be in miserable case, as blinde men groping out of the way, and be deuoured of their aduersarie1. Pet. 5. 8.1 Pet 5:8 the diuell (who as a roring lion walketh about seeking whom he may deuoure) because they know not how to resist him by a stedfast faith, and so be led away captiue vntounto hell.Great danger of not hauing a godly Pastor. This commeth of not hauing a Pastor, or hauing such a one as regardeth not the soules of his people.

p. 341For the end why the Lord placeth faithfull and labouring pastors of his Church, is, thatThe vse wher vntounto God hath appointed ministers. Rom. 10. 6. 7. 8.Rom 10:6Rom 10:7Rom 10:8 they may teach his children out of his word the way to heauen sincerely and purely: and such gouernours must wee obey and bee ruled by them according to the word of God. Neither must we say in heart, Who shall ascend into heauen? (that is to bring Christ from aboue) or who shall descend into the deepe? (that is to bring Christ againe from the dead) but the word of God is neere thee, euen in thy mouth, and in thine heart. We must therefore obey the true Ministers and faithfull laborers in the Lords Vineyard, and learne by that holsome doctrine which they bring vntounto vsus, how to attaine vntounto saluation: for there is no other meanes in the world to come vntounto Christ than by the preaching of the word, according to that saying of S. Paul▪ faith is by hearing, and hearing by the word of God: and as heeRom. 10. 17.Rom 10:17 speaketh a little before, how shall they heare without a Preacher? We may therefore draw a very strong argument to proue that faithfull Ministers are appointed of God to this ende, only to bring home his children into the sheepfold of Iesus Christ. True faith maketh vsus only heires of the kingdome of heauen; faith cannot be attained without hearing of GodsPreaching the onelyonly meanes to worke faith in vsus. word preached; the word of it selfe cannot bee preached without a Preacher: therefore Preachers are the onelyonly meanes appointed of God to worke faith in his children by the preaching of Gods word, and the secret working of the holy Ghost, whereby they are made partakers of the promises. Whosoeuer therefore is not content with this ordinance of God, but would hauehave some further reuelation from heauen, shall neuer be partakers of the benefites of Iesus Christ. He himselfe declareth in the parable of the rich glutron, thatLuk. 16▪ 31.Luke 16:31 whosoeuer would not beleeue the messengers of God which are the Preachers of the word, they would not beleeue though one should rise from the dead to instruct them. For in the word of God is set forth most clecrely and manifestly the true and certaine rule to liue by, and the meanes whereby to attaine vntounto saluation. Therefore it is too too much vngodlines to desire any other meanes to bee instructed by, than by the word of God, which is the verie gate of heauen, and the keyes thereof are giuen to the true Ministers ofMatth. 16. 19.Matt 16:19 Gods word, with such power, that whatsoeuer they bind on the earth, shall be bound in heauen, and whatsoeuer they loose vponupon earth, shall be loosed in heauen. So wonderfull isThe Lord in his mercy wil hauehave his children certaine of saluatiō in this life, to their vnspeak able comfort. the merciemercy of God toward his children herein, that they may hauehave assurance of saluation in this life; vea so certaine may they be of it, as if they had it alreadie in possession, and that not by preaching of Angels, but euen by our owne brethren, mortall men as we are, subiect to sinne and all infirmities, at whose hands we may daily bee taught, and with whom we may talke familiarly, and at their hands through the word of God wee may hauehave as good assurance hereof, as if the Lord should speake himselfe from heauen. If God should speake, we were not able to abide the hearing of his voyce, but bee euen swallowed vp of feare. How were the children of Israel terrified with the voyce of the Lord? when he spake vntounto them they fled away, and stood a farre off, and cried to Moses, Talke thou with vsus Exod. 20. 18. 19. If the Preaching of the word worke not faith in vsus we could not beleeue though God spake to vsus himselfe, nor if one should come from the dead. Iohn 10. 24 25. 26. 27. 28.Exod 20:18Exod 20:19John 10:24and wee will heare: but let not God talke with vsus, least wee die. What a vaine and vngodly thing were it to perswade our selues that we could beleeue if wee heard God himselfe speake, or if one came from the dead, to tell vsus what wee should beleeue, when as the very earth will quake at the voyce of God? And our Sauiour Christ telleth vsus plainely, that if we beleeue not the true Preachers of his word, wee could not beleeue though a damned soule should come from hell to preach vntounto vsus: the reason is, because the ordinance of God, which is vnchangeable hath appointed our brethren to teach vsus the way vntounto saluation. And truely it is a notable place where our Sauiour Christ doth seperate his from the reprobate: Then came the Iewes round about him, and saide vntounto him, How long doest thou make vsus doubt? If thou be that Christ, tell vsus plainely. Iesus answered them, I told you, and ye beleeue not: the workes which I doe in my Fathers name, they beare witnes of mee. But yee beleeue not: for yee are not of my sheepe, as I saide vntounto you. My sheepe heare my voyce, and I knowe them, and they follow mee. And I giuegive vntounto them eternall life, and they shall neuer perish, neither shall any plucke them out of mine hand. Wee see then it is a great argument of reprobation, when our hearts be so hard, that wee cannot beleeue the Gospell of Iesus Christ, for this is an infallibleNote. Rom. …. …. truth, that those which are the Lords, in his time he calleth, and they shall abide and neuer fall away; but those that are not his shall fall away, although they hauehave been passing p. 342cunning hypocrites in outward holinesse. The children of God will acknowledge thisThough their holines be neuer so great in the outward appearance, they shall not stand in the end. meanes, and praise the wisedome of God, which hath thereby quite transfourmed them, and chaunged their whole man, in sanctifying them by his holy spirit, and giuing of them assurance of saluation, which they confesse could neuer hauehave come to passe without the preaching of the word. This authoritie is giuen to the Ministers to pronounce the terrible iudgements of God against sinne, and whosoeuer hee bee that doth not repent and turne from the same, shall be as sure of euerlasting damnation, as if hee were already in hell.

Againe, to the penitent, whose consciences are burdened with griefe for their sinnes, he may pronounce the sweete promises of the Gospell, how Iesus Christ hath died for them,Certaine condemnation of the wicked. The assured comfort of Gods childrē in Christ. Iohn. 20. 23.John 20:23 and hath discharged them before the iudgement seate of GOD, and they shall be as sure of saluation, as if our Sauiour Christ should speake from heauen himselfe, (who is Trueth and cannot lye) and say: Whosoeuers sinnes yee remit, they are remitted vntounto them: and whosoevers sinnes yee retaine, they are retained. This is a wonderfull thing, and this shall Gods children confesse an vnspeakeable goodnesse of the Lord God, in sending our brethren with such power. Sith then this is so necessarie, they which will not confesse this to be the ordinance and meane appointed of the Lord God, to bring his children home vntounto his heauenly Kingdome, either neuer heard of Iesus Christ, or else in miserable hypocrisie hauehave heard and professed the Gospell, which shall be a testimonie to their consciences, euen to their vtter condemnation.

Now we hauehave heard the necessitie of a Pastor, and the vse wherevnto he is appointed it is requisite that we consider what dutie the Pastor oweth vntounto his …ocke: for as the Lord,The dutie of Ministers. when he establisheth a Kingdome, will chuse a King, so will hee also giuegive him, first a Kings heart, before he setteth him in his seate; so when hee prepareth a spirituall father to beget soules vntounto himselfe, hee giueth him gifts and power to doe the same, as Saint Paul testifieth, writing to the Ephesians: But vntounto eueryevery one of vsus is giuen grace, according to the measure of the gifts of Christ: Wherefore he saith, when hee ascendeth vp on high, hee led captiuitie captiue, Ephes. 47. 8.and gaue gifts vntounto men: so that first the Lord giueth gifts, and secondly men. This must be the dutie of the Minister (as the holy Ghost telleth vsus) to watch ouer the soules of his people, to be so carefull ouer them, as that hee will not suffer one through his negligence to perish, but by his earnest labouring in preaching the word of God, to build them vp into a stronger faith, which are already begotten vntounto the Lord, and also to winne others to Christ, and so increase the mysticall bodie of Christ, so much as his diligence by the blessing of God shall be able.

1. First, therefore, it is requisite in the Ministers office, that he studie the word of God, that he doe diligently reade the same, and also giuegive himselfe vntounto prayer.

2. Secondly, after that he hath studied the word of God, he must come out of his study to teach and instruct his flocke, to deliuer forth vntounto them wholesome doctrine, for the nourishment of their soules.

3. Thirdly, he must liue a godly life, shewing himselfe an example and patterne of godlinesse for his people to imitate, that the mouthes which are ready to slaunder the Gospell, may be stopped, and hee must watch ouer his flocke, that they be not deceiued with false doctrine.

4. Last of all, he must not refuse to giuegive his life for them.

Concerning the first, that Ministers must giuegive themselues diligently to reading, as itAttendance in reading. is manifest in the fourth chapter of the first Epistle to Timothie, where he exhorteth Timotheus, with these words: Till I come, giuegive attendance to reading, to exhortation, and to doctrine. 1. Tim. 4. 13. 1. He must reade & studie the worde of God diligently.1 Tim 4:131 Tim 4:1If that reading the word of God were not very needefull, yea, and the first poynt of the Ministers of God, this faithfull seruant of God Saint Paul, would neuer hauehave willed Timotheus to vse▪ such diligence therein, who neuer moued anie to do those things which were not profitable, and himselfe for the example of others, vsed the same: therefore it is certaine that Saint Paul vsing great diligence therein, found such commoditie as moued him to exhort Timotheus, and in him all other Ministers thereunto. But if Saint Paul, who was more than a Minister, euen an Apostle, called thereunto extraordinarily, by the mouth of Iesus Christ himselfe from heauen; if he I say, which was placed in so high an office, and p. 343called with so worthie a calling, gaue himselfe diligently to reading and studying the word of God: how much more ought the Ministers, which hauehave not so excellent a callingMalach. 2. 7.Mal 2:7 as he had? The Prophet Malachie sheweth a reason hereof: The Priests lippes should preserue knowledge, and the people should seeke the law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hostes: if the people must learne the will of God at the Ministers mouth, it is requisite that he himselfe studie and reade the w…rd of God diligently, where his holy will is reuealed, that he may be able to declare the same vntounto the people, to the which end the Lord hath placed them ouer his people. So that he must be as it were the storehouse of the Lord, and the children of God must come to learne, and he must minister necessarie doctrine vntounto them, as occasion shall be offered, that all seuerall heresies may be rooted out of the peoples hearts, and so be brought vntounto God, to serue him in true holinesse according to perfect religion; & hereby we may know, that whosoeuer doth not thus, is not the seruant of the Lord. The reading and meditating in Gods word is so necessarie, that the Lord commaunded Iosua being a ciuill Magistrate, That the booke of his law should neuer Iosh. 1. 8. To meditate in the word day and night.Josh 1:8depart out of his mouth, but that he should meditate therein day and night: Noting thereby how hard and vnpossible a thing it is for Magistrates to gouerne the Common-wealth aright and orderly, without continuall studie of Gods word, which is the perfit and absolute rule, whereby as well Magistrates as all other sorts of people must measure their affaires and order of life: for this cause also must not the ciuill Magistrate be ignorant of the law of God, that their ciuill law might be established according to the law morall, and therefore they ought continually to reade and meditate therein: but if this be the dutie of ciuill Magistrates to be alwaies conuersant in the word of God, how much more is it the dutie of spirituall Pastors, whose office consisteth in the ministerie thereof? The Prophet Dauid in the first Psalme, when he would describe who are they that are blessed, includethPsal. 1. 2. To meditate in the word daily.Ps 1:2 them in this number, They that delight in the law of the Lord, & meditate therein day and night: so that eueryevery priuate man if he will be blessed, must continually meditate in the word of God, and hauehave his whole delight and pleasure therein.

The Minister therefore of necessitie must teach the people, he must learne first; for it is2. He must teach the word. not possible for him to teach another that which he himselfe hath not learned: which is a strong argument to prooue the first part concerning his studie, and reading of the word: which as we hauehave prooued to be the first point in his office, so will we, God willing, make manifest in this point of his duty, that he ought also to teach the same, and must not keepe continually in his studie filling himselfe with knowledge, till he become as full as a tunne that will not sound when one knocketh vponupon it: but he must come out of his closet and preach the word of God and deliuer forth holsome doctrine, and so declare by feeding of the flocke of Christ that they louelove their maister Christ, whose seruants they professe themselues to be. Let these deepe learned Clerkes, which bragge and vaunt of such deepe knowledge and abundance of learning, come forth and shew the same, that we may beare record that it is so: for if they be the seruants of the Lord, they must not hauehave knowledge buried in themselues, but in their lippes, that Gods children may be taught thereby to attaine vntounto saluation: for the Lord hath ordained the preaching of his word to be the onelyonly meanes, whereby he calleth together his elect; and to that ende hath he giuen gifts to men, that by their labour the body of Iesus Christ might be perfited. HeThe strait account of the Minister. gaue them not a talent to hide in the ground, but to occupie & increase the same: let them be assured therefore when our King shall come to call vsus to account, they shal as hardly be handled, for not occupying & increasing it to his glory, as they should, if they cōtemptuously throw the same away. The Minister therefore of Gods word must not onelyonly be learned but must teach also: for how can he be a minister of doctrine, but in this respect that he teacheth, executing y^t office of his ministry? And this teaching is none other thing, but to preach the word of God sincerely, and purely with a care of the glory of God, and a desire of the saluation of our brethren: & secōdly a reuerent administration of the sacraments, according to the order & institution of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Whosoeuer therefore shall not thus labour, is not the minister of the Lord, but a robber and spoiler of the p. 344people of God, which thrust themselues into the ministrie, to fill their belly only with the sweate of other mens browes.

Now as it is necessary that the Minister ouer and besides reading and studying the word,The order of his teaching is to build vponupon the true foundation▪ Iesus Christ. must also …each the same; So hee must take heede that he obseru… the right order of teaching, and must not deu…e doctrine of his owne head. But if hee will be a good builder, his foundation must be Iesus Christ, for another foundation can no man lay, and vponupon the same he must not build timber, hay, or stubble; whereby is meant all curious and vnprofitable questions, and vaine ostentation, but he must build gold, siluer, and precious stone▪ by which precious substance is noted the most excellent and pure doctrine of the Gospell. And hereby shall you knowe his argument, if hee beate downe the st…fenecked and obstinateHow to know on… that preaches with the power of the word. He that …uildeth not vponupon that foundation, is an Antichrist▪ Acts 20. 27.Acts 20:27 sinners, by threatning the rigor of the law, and the terrible iudgements of God against the violaters thereof: and on the contrarie, by healing the bruised and wounded consciences with sinne, with the sweete promises of the Gospell. If any man therefore shall labour to lay any other foundation, and vse any other order of doctrine than this, he is an Antichrist, that is to say, against Christ, and no Christian.

He must teach them all the counsell of God, and keepe nothing backe, but whatsoeuer concerneth the saluation of his flocke, that must he teach them: yea, so absolute must his doctrine be, that there must be no point of the will of God, pertaining to the saluation of his children, but the Minister must be both able and diligent to declare. Therefore it is requsite and needfull, that a rare gift of God be added, who onelyonly openeth their vnderstanding, that they might vnderstand the scriptures, wherein the most holie will of God is reuealed,Hee must teach all the counsell of God. Luk. 24 45.Luke 24:45 and nothing that is needfull for our saluation omitted: so that whosoeuer knoweth not the scriptures must needs erre and be deceiued: but the Minister who must declare all the counsell of God vntounto his children, must be very perfect therein.

Moreouer, he must improue, rebuke, exhort, and stirre vp, first, himselfe to a great care of doing his duty faithfully; then must he also by all meanes spurre forward the godly, gently2. Tim 4. 2.2 Tim 4:2 & louingly, exhorting to hold fast the profession of their hope, in the assurance of faith, making their election more surely knowne vntounto themselues, by their godly life: and theMatth. 22. 29.Matt 22:29 rather to bring them forward herein with willingnes and great readinesse, he ought to set before them the wonderfull merciemercy of the Lord God, shewed towards them, in that he hath out of all the world elected them to be heires of his kingdome, where they shall …aigne forHee must p…icke forward the godly to increase in godlinesse▪ beate downe the obstinate, with the iudgements of God, comfort the penitent with the promises of the Gospell. euer, in such vnspeakable ioyes, as neither eye hath see…e, eare hath heard, neither hath at any time entred into the heart of man. He must not be ashamed to rebuke & reproue such as will not be obedient to the Gospell, but remaine still wallowing in their sinne: & if that wholesome admonitions will not serue, hee must not spare to thunder out the iust iudgements of God against them, vntill he hath beaten them down to hell with the terrors therof, and after true repentance, to raise them vp euen to the heauens, and daily strengthen them more and more: so that to the impenitent hee must pronounce damnation because he is still vnderunder the law, and vnderunder the curse of the law, and that hee shall be sure to be tormented euerlastingly, if he doe not repent: but the penitent that labour with a burdened conscience for sinne, and are wounded with griefe for the same, he shall comfort with blessed promises of the Gospell, declaring vntounto him, that hee is not vnderunder the law, but vnderunder grace, and so build him into a liuely faith in Iesus Christ.

This must the Minister doe both openly and priuately: for it is not sufficient that hee preach the word of God openly in the pulpet, but hee must goe to eueryevery mans house, andTo apply comfort to the penitent sinner. The minister ought to go t… the houses of his charge. there diligently instruct both him and his house in the feare of God: and not as the manner of some is, to goe to folks houses to tell them a tale, and flatter them with faire words and glozing speeches, to the end they might fill their bellie sat another mans table, or get some other benefite which hee hunteth after. These be hirelings and time-seruers▪ which thrust themselues into the Ministerie for lucres sake, and because they would liue idlie, and take no paines for their liuing, but contrary to the commaundement of God to liue of other mens labours, these are not true Ministers, but such as the Prophet Malachy speaketh of in the first chapter of his Prophecie. The true Pastor must not hauehave any such purpose:Gen. 3. 19.Gen 3:19 p. 345but as it is his dutie to labour to winne the soules of his people vntounto Iesus Christ, so must he vse all meanes both publikely, & priuately, which may further his ministerie and makePriuate meanes as well as publike must be vsed by the Minister. Luk. 10. 38. 39 & 19. 9. Acts. 20. 20.Luke 10:38Luke 10:39Luke 19:9Acts 20:20 it profitable. We might proue out of diuers places of the word of God this his dutie, both by the example of our Sauiour Christ, the perfect patterne for al mē to follow, who did not onelyonly preach openly in the Synagogue, but priuately in mens houses. The Apostles did so likewise, and S. Paul witnesseth the same in the 20▪ chapter of the Acts with these words: I kept backe nothing that was profitable, but hauehave shewed you, and taught you openly and throughout eueryevery house. This is the dutie of a good Pastor. The reason hereof is very good, because that which is spoken generally to all, is regarded of very few or none: so wonderfully hath Satan stopped mens eares and blinded their vnderstanding▪ that either they will not hearkenThat which is spoken to all is regarded of none or of few. at all, or else hearing, will neuer applie the same to their consciences: and therefore to preuent this, the Minister shall not sticke to instruct them priuately, when as they shall hauehave no such occasion to apply that to other mē that is spoken particularly to themselues. By this meanes, if the Lord hath appointed so, they may be brought home, or else hauehave the testimonie of his word in their consciences, euen to make them vnexcusable at theTo admonish priuatly is to take all excuses away. latter day.

Furthermore, this must he not seldome, now & then once in a monethmonth, or eueryevery quarter … ▪ he cannot so discharge his conscience before the Lord, who hath appointed him to feede his flocke continually: but this cannot liue and continue without foode, no moreHe must teach continually both in season, and out of season. can the soule liue, vnlesse it be cōtinually fed and nourished with the milke of Gods word. He must therefore feede them continually, as we reade that carefull shepheard S. Paul did, when he tooke his leaue to depart from Ephesus, after he had committed the keeping of Gods flocke vntounto the Elders of the Church, and giuen them warning of false teachers which would be busie with them after his departure, and therefore exhorted them to watch. Remember (saith he) that by the space of three yeeres I ceased not to warne eueryevery one, Acts. 20. 31. Paul warned them with teares both night & day. 2. Timoth▪ 4. 1. 2.Acts 20:312 Tim 4:12 Tim 4:2both night and day with teares. This diligence must be in Ministers to be euermore teaching, that if the Lord doe not blesse at one time, yet he may at another, they know not the time wherein the Lord will call any of his flocke, he must therefore vse the meanes diligently at all times, both in season and out of season, as S. Paul writeth to Timothy: I charge thee therefore before God, and before the Lord Iesus Christ, which shall iudge the quicke and the dead at that his appearing, and in his kingdome. Preach the word: be instant, in season and out of season, &c. It is no small matter to hauehave such a charge laid vponupon him, as is here set downe, and is giuen to all Ministers as well as to Timotheus, that euen as they will answere before the iudgement seate of God, when the secrets of all hearts shall be opened, so they will preach the word instantly, purely and continually, both in season and out of season, omitting no occasion that may be profitable. It is the manner of men to count it out of season, if it be notNote. the Lords day, and therefore they will not let a little businesse of other daies to heare the word of God preached, which tendeth to their welfare. The Ministers must labour for their sakes both out of season and in season: but if they be more mindfull of their worldly pleasures or businesse, than of the saluation of their soules, their blood shall be vponupon their owne head.

But when the Minister hath thus studied the word diligently, preached the word purely,He must pray both for himselfe and his people as wel priuately as openly. 1. Cor. 3. 6.1 Cor 3:6 declaring the counsell of God, exhorted both gently and sharply, laboured to win mens soules both openly and priuately, and that very carefully as well out of season as in season, to what end will all this come? Paul may plant, Apollo also water, but it is God that must giuegive the increase. Though the Minister laboureth neuer so earnestly, doing his dutie absolutely, yet if God doth not blesse and increase the same, all is in vaine. As therefore the Minister is the mouth of God to speake vntounto the people, so must he be the peoples mouth,His office is to blesse the people in the Lords name. Deut. 10. 8. Num. 6. 23. Psal. 118. 26. Iohn. 17.Deut 10:8Num 6:23Ps 118:26John 17 and pray vntounto the Lord both for himselfe and for them, that the Lord will blesse him and them, and graunt that the ministery of his word may be profitable both to himselfe and to them, and that the glory of God may be increased by the same. Thus we reade our Sauiour did, who being very God as well as man, and had power of himselfe to sanctifie the eares and hearts of them which heard him, and to make his preaching profitable in such measure as himselfe listed, yet for an example to all other which should come after, he prayed p. 346to his father both for himselfe and vsus. S. Paul also in all his Epistles testifieth how continuallyRom. 1. 9. 2. Tim. 1. 3.Rom 1:92 Tim 1:3 he maketh mention of them in his prayers. The Ministers therefore must pray, and that without ceasing, as well priuately by himselfe, as openly in the congregation: and this promise hath our Sauiour made, that whatsoeuer we shall aske the father in his name shall be graunted vntounto vsus.

In administring the Sacraments he must also be very circumspect, and although childrenHe must be circumspect in administring the Sacraments. The minister ought to take account of their faith. The sacrament pertai… to …one … the faith… onelyonly. are to be receiued into the Church by Baptisme, and not to be denied, because the promises do as well pertaine vntounto them, as vntounto the aged; yet are they to be baptized in the faith of the parēts; for there is no promise made to the infidels. The Minister therfore must require an account of this faith of such as bring children to be baptized, least otherwise he seale to a blancke, and so prophane the Sacramēt, which appertaineth to none but to the faithfull. Furthermore he must not admit all men that come rashly to eate the flesh and drinke the blood of Christ, for it is no small matter: but first they must eate it by faith out of the word of God, and when hee hath so done, the Minister shall administer to him the outward seales of bread and wine, to confirme and strengthen his faith.

The third point of the Ministers is; He must liue a godly life, shewing himselfe an example to all his flock, least the word of God bee slandered through his euill behauiour: for although he preach neuer so good doctrine, yet if his life be wicked, and contrarie to his doctrine, such is the sabtiltie of Sathan, who thereby will bring the Gospell into contempt, and be counted a vaine thing of men, because the Minister teacheth one thing, and doth another: this were a grieuous and intolerable matter, that the Minister should openHe must liue a godly life to the example of others, and also to stop their mouths which will be ready to speake euill of the Gospell, if the Minister liue contrary to his doctrine. Titus 2. 7. 8.Titus 2:7Titus 2:8 the mouthes of the wicked to blaspheme the Lord God and his most holy word, which is the power of God vntounto saluation. Therefore S. Paul together with pure doctrine giueth it in charge to Titus, in all things shewe thy selfe an ensample of good workes with vncorrupt doctrine, with grauitie, integritie, and with the wholsome word which cannot bee condemned, that hee which withstandeth, may bee ashamed, hauing nothing of you to speake euill of. The Apostle law no small occasion to vse so waightie an admonition, that aboue all other things ioyne to pure doctrine a godly life, yea such an ensample of grauitie, integritie, and all other good works agreeable to the most wholesome word which no man is able in any respect to reproue, that the contemptuous and despitefull aduersarie against the truth may be ashamed to open their mouthes, when as they are not able to accuse the Minister of any vngodlines; for the word it selfe is so perfect and absolute in all respects, that no man can finde fault thereat: but if the Minister contrary to the word doth liue wickedly & vngodly, he doth not only purchase euill report vntounto himselfe, but also giueth occasion vntounto the enemies and despisers of the truth most wickedly to sl…nder the most precious Gospell of Iesus Christ. The Minister must therefore liue a godly and vnblameable life, euen for an example of well doing to all his flocke.

Againe the spirit of God in that he saith, they must watch ouer mens soules, declareth aHee must watch ouer the soules of his flocke, therfore it is requisite that he is able to keepe his own 1. Cor. 6. 9. 2. Pet. 1. 10.1 Cor 6:92 Pet 1:10 wonderfull care, that the Minister ought to hauehave ouer his own soule: for if he be bound to watch ouer other mens soules to the ende he may be saued and not perish, if in the meane time he letteth his owne perish, what shall hee get? truly it will no whit profit him though all his flock be saued, if he himselfe be condemned. It is manifest in the first Epistle to the Corinths and 6. Chapter, that no vnrighteous person shell inherit the kingdome of heauen. Therefore the Minister must of necessitie (according to the admonition of S. Peter) giuegive diligence to make his calling and election sure by his godly life and good workes as well as other, if he will approue himselfe the child of God, and heire of euerlasting life. It were a vaine thing to flatter himselfe in sinne, because of his office, and thinke that God will deale the more mercifully with him therefore; when as it is most certaine, that as the saluation of mankinde commeth by the merits of one which is Iesus Christ, so is there but one meane for man to attaine thereunto, that is, by a true and liuely faith in Iesus Christ; and whosoeuer cannot assure himselfe in this life by the triall of his faith, that hee is the child of God, although hee can perswade and flatter himselfe neuer so much with other vaine hope, all is to no purpose: for hee may be assured whatsoeuer hee be either Minister or other, that he shall neuer taste of the ioyes laid vp for the children of God. In the 20. of the p. 347Acts, where S. Paul giuing charge of the Church and flock of Gods people vntounto the ouerseers thereof, giueth this charge first: Take heed therefore vntounto your selues, and to all the flocke, Acts 20. 28.Acts 20:28whereof the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers, to feede the Church of God, which hee hath purchased He that is not a carefull watchman ouer his owne soule, is not fit to watch ouer other mens.with that his owne bloud. The Minister must watch ouer the soules of his flocke, but first, ouer his owne, for hee that cannot keepe his owne soule, can much lesse keepe the soules of others: hee that cannot gouerne himselfe, cannot rule another. The Minister must watch ouer the soules of his flocke, so carefully and warily feeding them with wholsome and necessarie doctrine, and so hungring after the saluation of all, that hee must not suffer one through his default to perish: therefore aboue all it is requisite that hee keepe his owne very sure.

Then when hee preacheth damnation vntounto the obstinate, and such as remaine in theirWhē he preacheth damnation to others, hee must be sure that it belongeth not to him, &c. sinnes, thundering out the iudgements of God against them because they will not repent, by that meanes to beate them downe, and bring them to a sight of their miserie, hee must be assured that the same belongeth not to himselfe. Againe, when hee preacheth of election and remission of sinnes, by the merits of Iesus Christ, hee must hauehave an assured and vnfallible testimonie to his owne conscience, that he is an elect vessell of the Lord, that he is redeemed by the sacrifice of Iesus Christ, and that he shall enioy all the promises of the Gospell, as all other children of God: if hee be not assured hereof, his case is worse then all other mens; for in preaching condemnation to others, hee condemneth himselfe, and in offering the kingdome of heauen to others, he quite excludeth himselfe: so that hee which helpeth other out of an hole, falleth himselfe so deepe into the same, that it is not possible for any man to helpe him out.

Last of all, the Minister must not onelyonly reade and studie the word of God, preach the4 same purely, by exhorting, and all other meanes that may be profitable, vsing them bothHee ought to preach and teach as well priuately, as publikely. openly and priuately, continually in season, and out of season, praying also for his flocke, that his Ministerie may be profitable vntounto them, and setting himselfe an ensample of all godlines vntounto them, carefully watching ouer their soules; but hee must also louelove them so dearely, that his owne life must not be deare vntounto him for their sake. Which tender and louing affection was in that good childe of God Saint Paul, as it is manifest in his Epistle to the Thessalonians, where he writeth in this sort. Neither sought wee praise of me…, neither of you, nor of others, when wee might hauehave beene chargeable, as the Apostles of Christ: but we were 1. Thess. 2. 6. 7. 8.1 Thess 2:61 Thess 2:71 Thess 2:8gentle among you, euen as a Nourse that cherisheth her children. Thus being affectioned towards you, our good will was to hauehave dealt vntounto you, not the Gospell of God onelyonly, but also your owne soules, because yee were deare vntounto vsus. So singular louelove had hee towards them, that they were dearer vntounto him then his life; this affection did hee not beare to them onelyonly, but to all the elect children of God, and suffered all things for the elects sake, that they might also attaine2. Tim. 2. 10.2 Tim 2:10 the saluation which is in Christ Iesus, with eternall glory. The reason thereof is, because wheresoeuer the Gospell is sincerely and purely taught, there bee alwayes aduersaries seeking the ouerthrowe thereof, by persecuting such as professe the same, to the great dismaying of the children of God, who so soone as they take vponupon them the profession of Iesus Christ in truth with a good conscience, are straightway resisted with great combats of affliction, which were able to make them forsake the faith of Iesus Christ, and the profession of the Gospell, if the Lord should not hold them vpright in this distresse. The Apostle therefore whom the holy Ghost hath filled with all wisdome, knowing that the crosse was the greatest hinderance of the Gospell that could be, and also that where the Gospell was truely professed, there the crosse would not be absent, because by it the Lord bringeth his children into glorie, of a great desire that hee had to the edification of the Church of Iesus Christ: willingly suffered all kinde of afflictions, thereby to confirme and strengthenColoss. 1. 24.Col 1:24 the faith of Gods children, and did reioyce in that hee suffered for the Churches sake, for their commoditie, in that by his example the Lord did not onelyonly worke in them a greater credence and beliefe in the Gospell, but such an earnest zeale also, that they were readie and willing to suffer all manner of afflictions for the same, and that with great ioy. Whereas (if the Apostle, who preached vntounto them this glad tidings,) should hauehave shrunke from the testimonie of his doctrine, when any afflictions were laide vponupon him for the same, the p. 348people which were guided by him, the spirit of God so prouiding, would hauehave fallen away from the truth, and euen hauehave hardened their hearts against it. But this childe of God was so ready to confirme the faith of Gods people by these meanes, when it was tolde him of a Prophet called Agabus, that he should be bound at Ierusalem, and deliuered into the hands of Gentiles, he being intreated of the brethren that he would not goe vp, who euen with teares besought the same. Then Paul answered and said, what doe ye weeping andAct. 21. 10. 11. 12. 13.Acts 21:10Acts 21:11Acts 21:12Acts 21:13 breaking mine heart? for I am readie not to be bound onelyonly, but also to die at Ierusalem for the name of the Lord Iesus. This affection must be in eueryevery good Minister toward their flocke, that for their soules sake he shall be readie to suffer all things, yea euen to giuegive his life for the confirmation of his doctrine, the strengthening of their faith, and the glory of God. Our Sauiour Christ also that good shepheard refused not to giuegive his life for his sheepe: and truely in that place of Saint Iohn he doth notably declare the difference betweene the good shepheard and the hireling. I am (saith he) that good shepheard: theIoh. 12. 11. 12. 13.John 12:11John 12:12John 12:13 good shepheard giueth his life for his sheepe: but an hireling, and he which is not the shepheard, neither his sheepe are his owne, seeth the wolfe comming, and he leaueth his sheepe, and fleeth, and the wolfe catcheth them and scattereth them. So the hireling flieth, because he is an hireling and careth not for the sheepe. This place teacheth vsus plainely that the Ministers of Gods word, must not be hirelings, such as hauehave no care of their flocke, but respect their owne profit onelyonly: and in time of daunger, they will forsake them, howsoeuer before they hauehave fed their flocke: but the true Ministers must not be such; they must not measure their dutie and affection towards their flocke according to their profit, but he must know that he is placed ouer them to watch ouer their soules, to defend them from the diuell that rauening wolfe, by the wholesome word of God: and not to watch for his owne gaine. And hereby shall he be knowne, if in time of daunger he stand by his flocke and will not forsake them: nay rather than that they should perish, he will giuegive his life for their sake: for if this affection be not in them, the case is very manifest, that they are not good shepheards, but hirelings. For the true vnderstanding of this point we will, consider when the Ministers may flie; for if we should denie that they might not flie at anyHow a Minister may flie. Matth. 10. 23. Ioh. 8. 59.Matt 10:23John 8:59 time, we should not say truth: for our Sauiour Christ hath bidden that when we are persecuted in one citie, we should flie into another. It is manifest also that our Sauiour Christ himselfe fled, as when the Iewes tooke vp stones to cast at him, he hid himselfe and went out of the temple: and he passed through the middest of them all, and so went his way. And in the tenth chapter of Iohn we reade, that when they went about to take him, heIoh. 10. 39. 40.John 10:39John 10:40 escaped out of their hands, and went his way beyond Iordan: yet afterward when the time appointed, wherein he should suffer, was come, he fled not. Saint Paul also and Barnabas, Act. 14. 5. 6.Acts 14:5Acts 14:6as it appeareth in the fourteenth of the Acts, being at Iconium, when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles and of the Iewes with their rulers, to doe them violence and to stone them, they being aware of it fled vntounto Lystra, and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. Yet as I declared before out of the one and twentie of the Acts, at another time Paul went willingly vp to Ierusalem to lay downe his life for the glory of God. So that if we should deny, that we might not flie at any time, we should deny the words of Christ, who biddeth vsus flie in time of persecution: and againe if we should plainely say that they might flie, we should put no difference betweene the true Minister and the hireling. This therefore must we note, if so be that the people ouer whom he is placed, shall be in daunger to be seduced by false teachers from that most true and holesome doctrine of Iesus Christ,How small a cast soeuer we hauehave receiued of the trueth, we must not giuegive ouer striuing, though it cost vsus our liues. hauing receiued as yet but a tast as it were thereof and are not grounded; he must not in any case flie and giuegive place, no though it cost him his life: for it were a daungerous case to flie then, because that his constancie in sealing his doctrine with his bloud, may wonderfully confirme the faith of his flocke and draw them forward by his example, rather to die for the profession of Iesus Christ, than to deny him: whereas on the contrary, if he should flie, they could not but fall from the truth, being not grounded therein, when as they see their pastor to hide himselfe. But when this affection & louelove is in the Minister to consider that he is betrothed to Iesus Christ to defend his spouse and Church from his aduersaries, and to bring them as it were by the hand vntounto the bridegoome, of which he p. 349hath so singular a care that he will neuer forsake thē, although by earnest studie he should euen shorten his life, and all his Physitions in the world should tell him plainely that it wil end his daies if he doth not giuegive ouer the same: yet (I say) when he hath such a louelove and affection to his people, whose soules hee laboureth to feede and nourish with the word of God, that hee will resigne his life into the hands of God, and giuegive ouer himselfe vntounto his prouidence, and rather to end his daies with labouring and studying for his flockes sake, than by withdrawing and sauing his owne life to suffer them to want: then no doubt the Lord by his holy spirit shall teach him, when he may without danger to his flocke, euenThe faithfull minister flies not from his flocke but by this meanes. with all their consents depart and saue his life from the hands of his aduersaries. As we see by the examples of Iesus Christ and his Apostles, who sometimes fled and saued their liues: and otherwhile abode by it and suffered all things patiently. So will hee teach his true and faithfull Ministers, when it is good to flie, and when not. We hauehave knowne many godly Ministers which hauehave spent their time in studying and teaching their flockes, and hauehave rather desired their saluation than their owne liues. All these things obserued, the Minister shall yeeld a ioyfull account vntounto the Lord, and stirre vp his people to be thankfull vntounto the Lord, which hath shewed them such merciemercy, as to place ouer them so louing and careful a Minister, which so hungreth and thirsteth after their saluation, that he esteemeth his owne life lesse than it.

The second part concerning the dutie of the people to their Minister.

NOw we hauehave declared the dutie of Ministers, it followeth that we shew next the dutie of the people vntounto their Ministers, which is the second part of our diuision: & truly this declaration of the Ministers dutie doth very manifestly shew the other: for if the Minister be bound to applie his studie, and to exercise himselfe diligently in reading; and when he hath studied, to come foorth and teach the people all things necessarie for their saluation; and moreouer must set himselfe a liuely patterne of godly conuersatiō for them to follow, letting no meanes vnassaied, whereby he may beget their soules vntounto God, neither in life nor doctrine; but must so carefully watch ouer their soules, that rather than they should perish he must giuegive his life for them: what shall the people then do vntounto him for his intire louelove and affection? The holy Ghost telleth vsus in these words: Obey them, and submit your selues. So that obedience is the dutie of the people to their Minister. The reason hereof is very good, seeing the case so standeth that the Minister must labour to bring thē home to Iesus Christ by the Gospel, which is the power of God vntounto saluation: if the people notwithstanding his paines will remaine obstinate, to what end will his labour come? all will be in vaine, the people shall not profit by it, and himselfe shall be grieued and molested with sorrow to see their disobedience. The people therefore must bee obedient vntounto their Ministers which labour for their profit, which is a great grace of God who worketh all this in all creatures, when hee hath giuen the people obedient hearts to bee gouerned by his word, for which end he hath appointed the Ministers thereof. And as it is a grieuous and the most dangerous thing to be obedient to such superiours as shall leade vsus out of the way into destruction, whom our Sauiour Christ calleth blinde guides, which together with the people fall into the pit: so it is on the contrarie the greatest vertue to become obedient to the true Pastors and Ministers of the word of God. It hath been euermore the charge that the Apostles laide vponupon the children of God, of which thing S. Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians, as in diuers other places requireth, after that hee hath declared the great humility of Iesus Christ, in that he became obedient vntounto the death of the crosse, thereupon taketh occasion of his exhortation: Wherefore (my beloued) as yee hauehave alwaies Philip. 2. 12.Phil 2:12obeyed me, not as in my presence only, but now much more in mine absence, so make an end of your saluation with feare and trembling. It appeareth by his wordes, that the Philippians to whom he wrote had bin very obedient vntounto his ministerie from that time, wherein it pleased God to touch their heart with a care of their saluatiō by his preaching; yea so obedient were they, that not only in his presence among them, they vsed great submission vntounto his doctrine, but much more in his absence they declared their dutifulnes, in that with great p. 350eate they laboured to make it profitable by practising the same in their life and conuersation: whereby it may seeme that the Apostle needed not to hauehave exhorted them vntounto this dutie of obedience, being alreadie so forward and prone thereunto: but wee may hereby learne how needfull a thing it is that the people be obedient, and that in no small measure, but so farre forth as they shall be able to frame their liues according to the word of God in all points, which he preacheth vntounto them sincerely and purely to the feeding of their soules vntounto eternall life, which they can neuer obtaine vnlesse they become obediēt to bee taught and instructed at the Ministers hand by the most pure word of God, which with the operation of the holy Ghost worketh faith in the children of God, whereby they apprehend the merits of Iesus Christ, and hauehave his righteousnes, obedience, and holinesse imputed vntounto them of the free grace and merciemercy of God, as surely as if in their owne persons they had wrought it, and so made heires of the kingdome which Christ by his blood hath purschased for them. It is necessarie that so many as desire to be saued, bee obedient vntounto the Minister, whom God hath placed ouer them as his instrument to bring them to his heauenly kingdome, as before I hauehave declared vntounto you. And the rather to stirre them vp vntounto a continuall obedience hee addeth this: Make an end of your owne saluation with feare and trembling: As if he should say, Beloued brethren, as you hauehave hitherto submitted your selues to be reformed by the most glorious Gospell of Iesus Christ, and hauehave obeyed vsus in the Lord to the increasing of your faith, and the assurance of your saluation: so I beseech you to continue, and euen with feare and trembling make an end of your saluation: for if you should waxe obstinate in the end, and become disobedient to those that labour in the Lord for your behoofe, I tell you truly all your former obedience shal no whit profit you, nay your end shall bee worse; be lowly therefore and reuerence your Teachers in the Lord that you may with great humilitie, as it becommeth the children of God, receiueTo disobey the Minister of God, is to disobey God himselfe and to dispise his word. Philip. 2. 12.Phil 2:12 the promises. And least the aduersaries should perswade, that this your obedience and willing following of the Gospell hath come vntounto you of your owne nature, that by that meanes he may draw you to disobey the Ministers of God, whom you cannot disobey but you must also despise the word and him that sent them, and so fall from all grace: I tell you therefore plainly, that it neuer came of your selues, for it is God that worketh in you both the will & the deed; and that not of your desert, but of his own good pleasure. We see then that the people must obey their Minister, & giuegive diligent heed to be taught by them the whole counsell of the Lord concerning the saluation of their soules: which thing alsoIoh. 10. 27.John 10:27 our Sauiour Christ doth manifest in the tenth of Iohn: My sheepe (saith he) heare my voyce, and I know them, and they follow me, &c. Our Sauiour Christ giueth vsus a notable token here to know the children of God by, and that is, If they heare his voyce and followe him: for they that wil not be obediēt vntounto him are none of his, neither yet partakers of those benefits which he hath purchased for his. But peraduenture some wil say: It is true, that if a man will not obey the voice of Iesus Christ he is not for him: but where is Iesus Christ that we may heare him and obey him? O brother take heed how thou seekest such cauillations to maintaine thine obstinacie, for thou canst not so shake of thy dutie to thy Minister▪ but if thou confesse it thy dutie to be obedient vntounto Iesus Christ, I tel thee plainly thou oughtest no lesse to obey the Minister in that he bringeth the message of Christ, t…ā if himselfe were present. For he being the very Truth it selfe hath said plainly on the Ministers behalfe: He that heareth you heareth mee: and hee that despiseth you, despiseth me: and he that despiseth mee. Luk. 101. 6.despiseth him that sent mee. What an hainous thing were it to refuse the Minister and to bee disobedient vntounto them, when the case standeth so that the disobeying of them is not onelyonly a contempt of Christ, but also of God the Father, who is a seuere iudge to be reuenged of all his enemies? But they that be of the sheepfold of Iesus Christ will be obedient to their shepheard, euen as willingly as the sheepe are. The reason hereof is drawne from the nature of sheepe, which is the simplest of all creatures to shift for it selfe, and yet more profitable than any other cattell, when one of them is straied out of the way, it is caught in the brambles and briers readie to be lost in eueryevery pit or hole, yea subiect to a thousand daungers, and cannot helpe itselfe in the least of them: and when the shepheard hath fetched her home, how obedient is shee, and glad to bee guided by him for feare of falling into the p. 351like danger: so is it required of the children of God, that they be obedient as sheepe; yeaIf he were the wisest in the world he must become as simple as a sheepe. if he were the wisest or mightiest in the world, he must not take scorne to become as simple as a sheepe, if hee will enter into the kingdome of heauen: for before such time as the Lord by his instrument the Minister doth bring them home into the sheepfolde of Iesus Christ, they wander in innumerable dangers, & are no more able to deliuer themselues out of them, then the silly sheepe is to saue her selfe from the wolfe: but when they are brought home, then they see their infirmitie, and what great neede they hauehave of a shepheard to preserue & helpe them out of so many perils, which tend to the destruction both of body and soule, then they gladly obey him which is carefull to guide them in the way of saluation, with the most holy word of God, and to refresh their hungrie soules with that heauenly foode and milke. The holy Ghost saith, that they must bee borne againe, and that not of mortall 1. Pet. 1. 33. How we be borne anew.1 Pet 1:33seede, but of the immortall seede of the word of God, who liueth and endureth for euer. And therefore it is necessarie that they be obedient vntounto their spirituall father which hath begotten them with the word of God, that hee may ioyfully extend a fatherly affection towards them: which thing the Apostle S. Peter exhorteth them vntounto: As newe borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word, that you may growe thereby. The Apostle here sheweth a familiar1. Pet. 2. 2.1 Pet 2:2 reason why they should be obedient, they be as new borne babes. We see that little children are not able to guide themselues, no not to feede themselues at the first, but must be guided and nourished by the helpe of their parents, vntill they be able to shift for themselues: So must the children of God bee guided and nourished by the word of God, that they may grow from strength to strength, from faith to faith, till they come to a perfectWe must grow from strength to strength. age in Christ. Therefore it is necessarie that the people be obedient vntounto the Minister, to whome the Lord hath giuen his word to distribute vntounto his children, and to increase and strengthen their faith in Iesus Christ.

But some will say, is this giuen to the Ministers onelyonly? what if they teach their owne deuises, and not the pure word of God, and make vsus beleeue wee are in an happie case, when wee are in most misery, and yet desire to be directed in the true pathway vntounto saluation? I answere, that you must therfore trie the doctrine which he bringeth by the touchstone of Gods word, and see that it accord therwith: for in that the Lord giueth the vnderstanding and interpreting of the scriptures vntounto the ministers, it is not without great cause that hee doth it, when as hee appointeth them by the power of his word, as the meanes without which they can doe nothing, to bring together his children, yea, by the sharpe sword of the word to pearce their soules and consciences to the vtter slaying of sinne, and with the excellent vertue of the same word to heale them againe: which thing if the Ministers for their part shall not faithfully execute in such order as before I intreated of, speaking of the duty of Ministers, euen that gift the Lorde will so straightly call to account, that hee shall beare the danger of eueryevery soule that hath perished through his default. Yet shall not the people be hereby discharged: for they must try his doctrine (as I said before) and take heede that they be not seduced; for if they be, they shall dye in their owne sinnes. If any will say that hee is ignorant, truly I say, he is in a dangerous case; but if God hath shewed him such merciemercy as to make him desirous to bee instructed in the right way to saluation, let him craue knowledge at the Lords hand, neuer cease, but be importunate vponupon the Lorde in crauing his holy spirite, to worke in him all spirituall grace, to worke in himCraue knowledge of God without ceasing. true Faith: and to assure him of his saluation, all other worldly respects set aside: and let him vse great diligence in harkening to the word of God, and be obedient vntounto the same. Moreouer, let him withdraw himselfe from all euill company, and frequent the companie of the godly, and no doubt but the Lord will strengthen him to worke his will, whereby he shall know of the doctrine, whether it bee of God or not, according to the rule which our Sauiour Christ giueth vsus to knowe it by, Hee that speaketh of himselfe seeketh his owne glorie: but hee that seeketh the glorie of him that sent him, the same is true: and such must weeIhon 7. 17. 18. obey in the Lord. Now we see as it is our duty to obey the true Minister, and such as carefully watch ouer our soules, with the most wholsome word of God: so must wee beware that we suffer not our selues to be seduced by false teachers; and therefore wee must proue their doctrine by the word of God. But last of all, if any shall preach Iesus Christ sincerely p. 352and purely, hauing some infirmitie, we must not therfore reiect him, but obey him for the truth sake; and consider that we are all subiect to infirmities, and that to some one more than another: and therefore it is our dutie christian like to admonish him thereof; and no doubt, if he be the seruant of God he will giuegive him more strength against the same.

Besides this obedience, the dutie of the people toward their Minister must extend further, and they must also reuerence him, and giuegive him honor, else it is most certaine that obedience cannot take place: which we may see by the example of the woman of Samaria,Iohn. 4.John 4 who notwithstanding the great curtesie of our Sauiour Christ in telling her what he was, and what he could do for her, yet would she not obey him at the first, but tell to taunting and ouerthwarting of him too vnreuerētly; but when he had touched her conscience and laid open her wickednes, so that she saw plainely he was another manner of man than she tooke him for, then she began to reuerence him, and said, O sir, I see that thou art a Prophet, and then she obeyed him, and desired to learne of him: so, before she obeyed, she conceiued a reuerence of him, and accounted of him as a Prophet. It is also manifest in the 2. of the Acts, when as the wonderfull miracle could not bring the people to obey the Apostles,Acts. 2.Acts 2 yet afterward when Peter with his sharpe sermon had touched their hearts in such sort that they felt the power that God had giuen them, they began to reuerence them, and where as before they were not ashamed to say that they were drunken with new wine, now they cryed out, Men and brethren what shall we doe? which words doe plainely declare what a reuerent opinion they hauehave conceiued of them, and after that they became obedient vntounto them. Common experience sheweth vsus the same, for which of you will commit your matter to any Lawyer, except you hauehave a reuerent opinion of him, that he can pleasure you, and a sure trust that he will doe the best he can for the furtherance of your cause? Likewise in Physick there is no man that will cōmit his life into the Physitians hand, vnlesse he be first perswaded that he can by the help of God ease his griefe, and that he is willing also to do what lieth in him: except (I say) a man be thus perswaded of the Physition he will not commit himselfe into his hands, nor yet obey those orders that he shall prescribe: so is it in this, the people must be obedient to the Minister, therefore they must reuerence him, or else it is not possible that they should obey him. The Apostle S Paul doth notably amplifie the honor due to the true and faithfull Ministers. The Elders 1. Tim. 5. 17. The office of the Elders.1 Tim 5:17that rule well (saith he) let them be had in double honour, specially they which labour in the word and doctrine, as if he should say, let those Elders which are appointed to watch and looke to the manners and behauior of the children of God, if they execute this charge faithfully, be had in double honour: but aboue all, let the faithfull Ministers, such as labour in the word, be honoured: for why? the other are ouerseers of your outward behauior, but these hauehave an other manner of office, they watch ouer your soules, which tendeth to the saluation both of body and soule.

Moreouer, it is requisite that they also feare the Minister, or else can they in no ease reuerence and honour him: for where feare is not, all honour is absent, and so consequently all dutie extinguished. And this feare must not be a fained and counterfeited feare: but when he shall come before the Minister to aske him any question, he must consider that he commeth to talke with the messenger of the Lord, whom he ought to heare as well as if the Lord himselfe were present. For this is most certaine, where a faithful Minister is that dothNote. sincerely and purely preach the word, it is all one as if the Lord himselfe dwelt personally among vsus: and his owne selfe hath verified the same, saying: He that heareth you, heareth Luk. 10. 16.Luke 10:16me. And therefore it behooueth vsus to giuegive a proofe of our feare, louelove and obedience towards the Lord, by receiuing his word with such feare and reuerence as beseemeth his subiects, although the same proceede out of a mortall mans mouth. It is a common thing among vsus, the Embassadour of a Prince is receiued with great honour & reuerence, yea his message is to be receiued as vndoubtedly, as if the King were present himself, yea they that shall despise his authoritie shall be as hainously accounted of, as if they resisted and rebelledAn example of receiuing an earthly Embassador. against the Kings owne person: And shall the Embassadours of the liuing God, who is King of all Kings, be receiued lesse worthily than the other, whose authoritie is both greater and the message waightier? Truly whosoeuer shall take scorne to yeeld this dutie of p. 353feare and reuerence vntounto the Minister, let him be assured that he scorneth not him, but the Lord that sent him. But some will obiect: what shall we make a God of our Minister, and is he so to be feared as you say? I answere thee, that I meane nothing lesse, nay I hold him accursed that shal chalenge such dignity vntounto himselfe. But this feare must ye yeeld not to the person, but to his office which is by the word of God, to remit your sinnes, and to giuegive you assurance that they are washed away by the blood of Christ, if you be truly penitēt for them; and that you are made heires of the kingdome of heauen, whereof you need not to doubt. On the contrarie, if you be not penitent, by his office hee hath authoritie to binde sinnes here on earth iustly to euerlasting condemnation, which the vnpenitent may be as sure to suffer as they see the light of the day: feare him therefore (I say) not as he is a man, but as the Minister of God. With what a reuerend feare did the Galathians receiue Paul? Galath. 4. 14.his owne selfe doth report, that they receiued him as an Angell of God, yea more than so, they receiued him as Iesus Christ himselfe. And that was not for the excellencie of his person, which hee testifieth was simple, base, vile: and to all the world contemptible, yea and subiect to all infirmities: but they receiued him with such feare and reuerence for that excellent message which hee brought vntounto them, for those glad tidings which hee published among them, and for that hee was a Minister of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, which is the power of God to saue all the beleeuers. Thus reuerently must all Gods children feare their Minister, euen for the worthines of his office and ministery: for if they should not feare him, they could not in any case obey the word, when hee doth sharply reproue them for their sinnes: but euen as a light wife so long as her husband pleaseth her, so long and no longer will she be obedient vntounto him; for if he shew a sharp countenance of very louelove to driue her from some lewd cōditions, then will she begin to scorne,The people ought to feare the authority giuē by God. to fret and chafe, and in stead of obeying him, she will deadly hate him and despise him: so is it with the people, if they stand not in feare of the authority which God hath giuen him, they will obey him no longer than he preacheth pleasant things: for when he shall touch their consciences with threatning the iudgemēts of God against their sin, then can they not abide him, but harden their hearts not against him, but against the Lord which hath sent him, and so fall away to their vtter destruction: the children of God must therefore feare their Minister, and be obedient to the word of truth which hee bringeth vntounto them.

When the people are come thus farre, that they will willingly obey the Minister, and that with feare and reuerence submit themselues to bee guided by the pure word of God, they must shew further their dutifulnes towards him, and must also bee readie to doe for him whatsoeuer lieth in their power: which thing S. Paul earnestly desireth of the Thessalonians: Wee beseech you brethren, that yee acknowledge them which labour among you, and are 1. Thess. 5. 12. 13.1 Thess 5:121 Thess 5:13ouer you in the Lord, and admonish you, that you hauehave them in singular louelove for their workes sake. Where the holy Ghost sheweth a reason why they should acknowledge their Ministers which carefully & faithfully doe execute their office, which is for their workes sake; & his exhortation is in effect thus much: Brethren, this one thing doe I heartily craue at your hands, that you be not so obliuious as to forget those which labour among you in the Lord, and are by his appointment euen of great merciemercy towards you, placed ouer you to the end they may admonish you of your sinnes, and to stirre you vp by the word of God to a more zeale of the glorie of God, and to walke more circumspectly before him: I beseech you (I say) be not forgetfull of them, but hauehave them in a singular louelove; yea let nothing be dearer vntounto you than such, for this worke sake which they hauehave taken in hand; for I tell you truly there is no labour vnderunder the Sunne so profitable vntounto you as this, whichA thousand worlds not comparable to the treasure of the faithfull. bringeth not store of corruptible siluer and gold, not large kingdomes and empires of this world which shall perish and come to an end: but this profit commeth of their labour, euen the saluation of your soules, such a treasure as all the world, no not a thousand worlds are comparable vntounto it: for this cause louelove them.

Besides this, it is their dutie also to prouide for him all things necessarie, for that he may hauehave to supplie his want at their hands, as we may by diuers places of the Scripture proue:Galath. 6. 6. In the 6. to the Galathians the Apostle giueth this commandement: Let him that is taught in the word make him that hath taught him partaker of all his goods. The reason is very good: p. 354if the schoolemaster taketh paines in teaching, the schollers owe to him other necessaries. Such is the subtiltie of Satan, which rageth and stormeth at the Gospell of Iesus Christ, the reaching whereof he seeth is the decaying of his kingdome, when as by no other meanes he can ouerthrow the same, yet doth he mightily heaue at it by drawing the peoples harts from nourishing and maintaining the Preachers thereof, that they being oppressed with penurie, might be constrained to forsake their ministerie. So that it is no marueile though the Apostle giueth so straight a charge thereof, seeing so great danger might ensue. If they sowe vntounto you spirituall things, is it a great thing if they reape of you carnall things? If the Ministers1. Cor. 9. 11.1 Cor 9:11 giuegive vntounto the people gold, is it much for them to giuegive chaffe againe? yet there is a greater difference betweene that, that the Minister distributeth among the people, & that which he receiueth of them, than is betweene gold and chaffe. For he giueth vntounto them by the preaching of the word the kingdome of heauen: what treasure may be compared vntounto it? and will not they giuegive him of their worldly commodities to maintaine his liuing? Truly it were a token of too too much infidelitie, and a manifest argument that we are not Christians, but very Heathen, if we should refuse to nourish the Minister that laboureth for our profit. It is manifest in the law that the Priests which waited on the Altar, liued of theDeut. 18.Deut 18 Altar: Euen so hath the Lord appointed that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell. Naturall reason teacheth vsus this, and yet is it written in the Scripture also, that no man goeth on warfare at any time of his owne cost, for the souldier receiueth his stipend.1. Cor. 9. 14. Ves 7.1 Cor 9:14 Neither doth any manplant a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruite thereof, for to that end doth he plant it, because he would enioy the fruite. And againe, No man keepeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke thereof. But if the case standeth so in earthly matters, that eueryevery man enioyeth the fruite of his labour, and is maintained by the same; how much more ought the Ministers and Pastors liue of their flocke, to whom they are so profitable, and for whose sake they take such paines? If therefore you will hauehave such an one placed ouer you, that shall refuse no paines in studying night and day, in preaching the word in season and out of season, in exhorting and trying all meanes to doe you good; and that shall louelove you so tenderly that his owne life shall not be deare vntounto him for your sake: you must know it is your dutie to prouide all things necessarie for him, for you must not make him your slaue, but you must so minister vntounto him, that he may giuegive himselfe wholy vntounto the faithfull doing of his dutie, that he may not be drawne away with other cares from the same. If the Lord hath commanded not to mousell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corxe, muchDeut. 25. 4. Matth. 10. 10.Deut 25:4Matt 10:10 lesse to withhold the Minister from things necessarie to preserue his life. The labourer is worthie of his wages. How wonderfully forward were the Galathians in fulfilling of this dutie, when as they would not hauehave refused to pull out their eyes, if it had beene possible,Galath. 4. 15. and hauehave giuen them to the Apostle? Which words although they be of supererogation, yet doe they expresse such louelove and readines in administring of their worldly commodities, that they would hauehave pluckt out their owne eyes and giuen them vntounto him also, if by that meanes they might hauehave pleasured him. Truly there is good cause why they should thus louelove and prouide for their Minister which laboureth faithfully: for if the childe cannot recompence the paines & kindnes of his parents in bringing him into this world, and prouiding things necessarie for his education; neither the scholler the paines of his maister, which hath garnished his breast with wisedome and knowledge: much lesse can the childe of God recompence his spirituall father who hath begotten him vntounto the Lord. Refuse not them to bestow part of thy worldly commodities vponupon him, that hath broughtWithout this heauenly treasure we are more miserable than brute beasts. thee such heauenly treasure, without the which thy estate were more miserable than the condition of brute beasts. But because it may seeme very much to the worldly minded man, who respecteth nothing but temporall things, to thinke that he must be so liberall toward his Minister, as to prouide him all things that he hath neede of (although the children of God which are alreadie called, and hauehave tasted how sweete the Lord hath beene to them by the Ministers meanes, whom the Lord hath vsed as an instrument to bring them home, will not thinke it much to do their dutie, & that very liberally in prouiding for their Pastor) you shall vnderstand in what sort you ought to prouide for him. First, you must see that he hath sufficient for to finde himselfe and his familie necessarie foode and apparell p. 355for their bodies. Secondly, you must giuegive him wherewith to keepe hospitalitie, that hee may be able honestly and decently to entertaine strangers which come vntounto him to aske his counsell in matters of conscience concerning their faith and saluation. Thirdly, you must prouide him bookes for his studie, and all such as may enrich his knowledge, whereby he may the better hee able to answere and helpe all their doubts which come to him. Thus must you prouide for him that he may not be troubled with any cares that may with draw him or hinder him in doing of his dutie. And whereas the Apostle saith, make him partaker of all your goods, it is nothing lesse meant than that your goods should be at his pleasure, or that you should make him abound in superfluitie, wherewith he should be filled vntill he burst as they say, there is no such thing, but to prouide for him for those causes aforesaid.

Heere may they aske a question, whether they ought to pay tithe vntounto such Ministers as bewicked liuers, because we hauehave spoken onelyonly of the dutie which they owe vntounto the true Ministers and faithfull labourers in the Lords busines. You shall therefore vnderstand, though he be a wicked liuer, if he teach true doctrin, hold nothing back from him, but let him hauehave his dutie, that if it shall please the Lord to conuert him from his wickednes, hee may louelove you the more dearely, and hauehave the more care ouer you: but if hee teach false doctrine, not the word of God purely, but his owne braines, yet because you hauehave a conscience of disturbing the common weale, and seeke rather peace than trouble, let him hauehave his dutie, that your diligēce in doing your duty may moue him to a more care of his; or else if the Lord doth not giuegive him that grace, yet thereby shall you leaue a testimonie in his conscience to his condemnation. Moreouer where any such Ministers be placed ouerNote. the people, as the wicked liuers, false teachers, or domb dogs, it is most certaine that the Lord hath set them euen to plague the people for their sinnes.

Last of all, the people must pray cōtinually both for themselues and for their Minister,The people must pray cō tinually for themselues and their Minister. Coloss. 4. 3. 4.Col 4:3Col 4:4 that the Lord may bestow vponupon him the perfect gifts of prophecying, and vponupon vsus obedient hearts to the word, that the Lord may bee glorified in our life and conuersation, which thing S. Paul desireth in his Epistles, as in the 4. Chapter to the Colossians, Continue (saith he) i… prayer, and watch in the same with thankesgiuing. Pray also for vsus, that God may open vntounto vsus the doore of vtterance, to speake the mysterie of Christ, that I may vtter it as becommeth me to speake. The like thing doth he require in the 6. to the Ephesians. In both which places the Apostle noteth how needefull a thing it is for the people to pray not onelyonly for themselues, but for their Minister also, for that the Lord God giueth his gifts to none butThe Lord giueth his gifts to none but they which call faithfully on him. 2. Thes. 3. 1, 2.2 Thess 3:12 Thess 3:2 them which faithfully call vponupon him, and continually craue the same at his hand. It behoueth the people therefore to pray for their Minister, that the Lord will powre vponupon him the aboundance of his spirit, which may open vntounto him the mysteries of his most holy word, that he may be able to teach them all the counsell of the Lord. In the second Epistle to the Thessalonians and 3. Chapter he vseth these words, Furthermore brethren, pray for vsus, that the word of the Lord may hauehave free passage, and bee glorified euen as it is with you, and that we may be deliuered from vnreasonable and euill men, for all men hauehave not faith. Here dothFew men hauehave true faith. the Apostle giuegive charge also that the congregation do pray for the florishing of the Gospell, and the faithful Ministers thereof, that the word might so much be preached, and the Church of Christ thereby increased, he willeth them to pray for the quiet estate of the Ministers, that the Lord would deliuer them out of the hands of their aduersaries, which seek not so much the destruction of the Ministers, but the ouerthrow of the Gospell, because they hauehave not faith to become partakers of the promises thereof, which is only the gift ofAll men can not be saued, and therfore all cannot hauehave faith. God vntounto his children which shall be saued: for if that all men should be saued, all should hauehave faith, but because all cannot be saued, all cannot hauehave faith. Then wee see a notable meane to attaine those things which are profitable for vsus, euen by prayer. If therefore you desire such a Pastor as shall louelove you, and you him againe, pray vntounto the Lord for such a one. If you would hauehave him able to teach you, and your selues made obedient to his doctrine, pray hartily. If you would hauehave him long, pray vntounto the Lord to continue him among you, and to giuegive him fauour in the eyes of the Magistrates, & to defend him from all wicked aduersaries, that yee may liue peaceably together, and bee builded vp into a p. 356strong faith by the word of God without any perturbation. Now as it is the dutie of theOf a strong faith. whole congregation generally to pray together with one consent both for themselues, their Minister, Prince, Magistrates, and all other people: so it is euerie mans dutie particularly at home at his own house to pray for them, and that not once or twise, now and then, very seldome, but daily, yea continually. Thus shall both the Minister and the people doe their dutie to their wonderfull comfort, and glorie.

The third part concerning the fruites that come of the well doing of these duties, both to the Minister and the people.

THese duties thus performed bring wonderfull commoditie: And first of all, if the Minister doe his dutie in preaching, exhorting, liuing, praying, and watching ouer his flocke with that care of the glorie of God, and that desire of the saluation of his people that he ought, this profit shall he hauehave; The Lord will blesse his labour, and he shall make an acceptable and ioyfull account, and this which farre passeth all the rest, he shall saue his owne soule, and because he hath been a faithfull seruant ouer a little, the Lord will make him his gouernour ouer a great deale euen in his kingdome of blessednes.Luk. 19. 17.Luke 19:17

If the people do their duty vntounto the Minister in obeying, reuerencing him, fearing him, louing and prouiding all things for him, and last of all in praying faithfully for him, they shall make him a glad man, and sturre him vp with great ioy to do for them all that be can, and euen in great afflictions the remembrance of their dutifulnes and constant faith shall minister abundāce of consolatiō, that he shal be forced to say with the Apostle Paul, What 1. Thess. 3. 9.1 Thess 3:9thankes can we recompence to God againe for you, for all the ioy wherewith wee reioyce before the Lord for your sake? Thus shall they fill him with ioy, and so winne his heart, that hee had a thousand liues, he would gladly giuegive them for their sakes to doe them good; and moreouer, the Lord wil blesse him in great measure for their sake, with knowledge, that he may be the more profitable vntounto them, and in the ende their soules shall be saued, which is an vnspeakable treasure farre passing all other things.

Moreouer, though the people do not their duty, but become obstinate, and storme and rage against the faithfull Minister which hath a care ouer them, so that they doe grieue his heart through their disobedience, yet if he doe his dutie in reading, preaching, and other points which I hauehave alreadie declared, he shall notwitstanding saue his owne soule, and also if the will of God be so, he shall by his diligence winne them; if not, hee must be contented to submit himselfe and his doing to the will of the Lord, and knowe the word of God shall hauehave his effect euen to make them inexcusable at the dreadfull day, whereby the Lord shall be as greatly glorified as if they were saued.

Againe, if the people do their dutie faithfully in the Lord towards their Minister beingThe dutie of the people that hath a wicked Minister. either a wicked liuer, or not so zealous and true a teacher as hee ought to bee, either the Lord will remoue him and place ouer them a faithfull shepheard, or conuert him, and bring him to do his dutie more carefully, or else stirre vp other helpes for them. So their soules shall be saued and he shall perish.

The fourth part of the danger for not doing these duties faithfully.

NOw wee hauehave seene the great fruites that come of well doing these duties both to the Minister and the people, we may thereby see what danger insueth of the contrarie,The blessing of a faithfull Minister. that is, not of doing them. For whereas if the Ministers doe their dutie faithfully, the Lord will blesse their labours, so that their account may be acceptable, and their soules, saued: so on the cōtrarie, if they do not their dutie truly, as they ought, and seeke the glory of God by their doings, the Lord hath pronoūced by the mouth of his Prophet Malachy, Mala. 2Mal 2that he will bring a curse vponupon them, and will curse their blessings, he will corrupt their seede, and cast dung in their faces. Thus will the Lord deale with such vnfaithful seruants, that nothing shall prosper, but euen their very seede shall be corrupt, and he shall be called to a straight account, and he shall beare the burden not only of his owne sinnes, but of all the sinnes of p. 357the people, and eueryevery soule that hath perished thorough his negligence shall be laid to his charge, and so shall he become a notable Diuell in hell there to be tormented with euerlasting and vntolerable paine. Finally, if the people doe not their dutie vntounto the Minister, they shall make him full of griefe and sorrow maruellously troubled in spirit, nothing ioyfullThe carelesse Pastor shall become a notable diuell in hell. in his calling, but alwaies mourning: and moreouer the Lord will harden the peoples heart, that the word shall not be profitable vntounto them, but euen as S. Paul testifieth a …auor of death vntounto death, and in the end they shall be rewarded in hell fire which shall neuer be quenched, nor the worme shall neuer die, but there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Thus hauehave we learned first how necessary a thing it is to hauehave Ministers in the Church of God, because without them the people should be as sheepe without a shepheard, ready to be deuoured of their aduersary the diuell: secondly, that the Lord hath appointed them to this vse, by them to call together the number of them that shall be saued by the preaching of the word, wherewith he hath giuen them power to open heauen to all beleeuers, and to giuegive as good assurance of their saluation by the word, as if Iesus Christ himselfe were present to certifie the same; and on the contrary to shut out all the vnpenitent fromThey that cānot belieue the preacher, shall not belieue though one should come from heauen, or from the dead, &c. the kingdome of heauen, and to binde them ouer to euerlasting woe, which they shall be so sure of as they see the light that shineth in the day. And therfore it behoueth all such as desire to be saued to learne the way to saluation of them, and to harken vntounto them, for because the Lord hath appointed no other meanes in the world for to attaine to the knowledge thereof, and hath said plainely, that whosoeuer will not beleeue the truth at their hands shall not beleeue though one should come from heauen to tell them who shall be saued, and another from hell to tell them who are damned.

We hauehave also heard that when the Lord determineth to beget soules, he appointeth spirituall fathers fit and able for that purpose, by reason that he giueth them gifts for the accomplishing of that busines: and herewithall we hauehave learned what is the duty of these spirituall fathers or Ministers, which we finde to consist in foure principall points. 1. He must reade and study the word of God diligently, that he may be able to teach and instruct his people. 2. When he hath studied he must come forth and deliuer wholesome doctrine, that their soules may be refreshed; for therefore must he study to hauehave knowledge for them, and sing to himselfe and his muses, not filling himselfe so full of knowledge, till he become as a tunne that will giuegive no sound, but he must keepe knowledge notSome learned men be like tunnes, that are so full they can giuegive no soūd. only in his heart, but also in his lips; for the Minister must be the mouth of the Lord, from whence Gods people must know the will and counsell of God: also he must obserue the true order of teaching, that is, to build vponupon the true foundation Iesus Christ: for he that buildeth vponupon any other foundation is an Antichrist, and not the Minister of God, but the messenger of Sathan. Moreouer, he must by all meanes pricke forward the godly to increase in godlines, beate downe the obstinate and hardharted with the terrible iudgements of God, and after to raise vp th… penitent with the sweete promises of the Gospell: the which he must doe not onelyonly openly in the pulpit among the congregation, but priuately also in eueryevery house, because that generall doctrine doth not driue the people to such a consideration of their estate, as when they are particularly admonished of their sinnes, & exhorted to repēt for them. Thus must the Minister labour to make his doctrine profitable, and that continually, supposing it not sufficient to be done now and then, but he must do it in season and out of season, omitting no opportunitie wherein the Lord may call home some into the Church of Christ: and that God may the rather vouchsafe to blesse his ministry, he must pray continually for himselfe and his people both openly and priuately, & be very circumspect in administring the Sacraments. 3. He must liue a godly life, aad set himselfe as example for his flocke to follow: and so much the rather ought he to looke more neerely to all his waies, because the aduersaries, if any thing be otherwise than well with the Ministers, will straightway with open mouth blaspheme the Gospell, which is most pure and vnreproueable: whereas if they hauehave nothing whereof to accuse the Minister, neither can they blame the word which they onelyonly heaue at to ouerthrow it if it were possible, taking occasion by the Minister to blame the word. For an other cause p. 358also must he liue vnreproueable, and that is, because hee must watch ouer the soules of other, which charge he cannot performe, except he be able to watch ouer his own. Thirdly in this respect, that his election may be surely known vntounto himselfe, least in preaching ofA man may preach to other, and be a reprobate himselfe. the election vntounto other he be a reprobate himselfe. So that when he threatneth the iudgements of God against other, hee shall condemne himselfe, and when he raiseth vp the penitent with the promises, he himselfe shall fall into the hole of his owne condemnation, and no man shall be able to comfort him, 4. Last of all, he must …e his flocke so deerely that he must giuegive his life for them. But because it were contrarie to the wordes of our Sauiour Christ to say he might not flye at any time; and on the other side if wee say he may flye, wee should put no difference betweene the true Ministers and the hirelings; wee hauehave heard that the Lord will teach his faithfull Ministers by his holy spirit, when it is good to flye, and when not. Thus much hauehave we learned concerning the dutie of Ministers.

In the second part we hauehave heard the dutie of the people towards their Ministers, which2 we hauehave learned to consist, first in obedience, because it were altogether in vaine, and an vnprofitable labour for the Minister to teach the people if they should not bee obedient vntounto his doctrine; and also because it is impossible for any to bee saued that will not bee obedient vntounto the word of God, besides which the Lord hath appointed no meanes for man to attaine vntounto the knowledge of saluation, and therefore hath he giuen it vntounto his Ministers to be preached sincerely and purely vntounto his people. And heere we learne by the way that the people must beware that they bee not seduced with false doctrine and mans inuention: therefore they must proue the doctrine to accord with the word of God, and then be obedient vntounto it. Secondly, besides obedience wee hauehave learned that they must also reuerence him, because they cannot obey his doctrine, except they hauehave a reuerent opinion of him, as we see by the woman of Samaria, and the people that S. Peter conuerted. Thirdly, it is requisite that they feare him, for where feare is not, there honor and reuerence must needes bee absent. And thus hauehave we heard that they ought to feare him, not in respect of his person, but for his office sake; not as he is a man, but in that he is the messenger and Minister of God. Fourthly, they must louelove him and that vnfainedly with all their heart, being ready to help him in all distresses Fiftly, they must prouide for him that he may hauehave to maintaine himselfe and his familie, to entertaine strangers and buy him bookes, that he may not with any worldly care bee drawne from doing of his dutie. Sixtly, they must pray for him continually, and for themselues also, that hee may be able to teach, and they to receiue the word profitably.

3 These duties being wel performed bringeth this commoditie: The Ministers labour3 shall be profitable, his account acceptable, and his soule saued. The people shall make their minister ioyfull and louing vntounto them, willing to labour for their profit, and in the end they shall raigne together in the kingdome of heauen. Also if the Minister doth his dutie faithfully, though the people doe not their, yet hee shall saue his soule. Likewise if the people doe their dutie, and not the Minister, the Lord will so prouide that they shall enioy eternall felicitie.

4 Last of all, if these duties be not performed, we hauehave learned how great dangers they4 are in that neglect the same, if the Minister his labour shall be cursed, he shall be called to a streight account, and shall answere for euerie soule that hath perished, and so become a diuell in hel for euer. If the people doe not their dutie, they shall grieue their Pastor, make him vnprofitable, and in the end be tormented in vtter darknes for euer.

The Lord of all power deale mercifully with vsus for his deare Sonne Iesus Christs sake, and graunt such grace both vntounto the Ministers of his word, that they may carefully doe their duties with that feare of his name, that reuerēce of his Maiestie, that zeale of his glorie, and that desire of the saluation of his people that they ought: and that the people may so obediently and willingly receiue thy word and Ministers thereof, as shall bee most for thy glorie and the profit of their soules: that after this life ended, wee may dwell together in thy kingdome of glorie with thy Sonne our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ, to whom with thee and the holy Ghost, three persons and one true and most wise God, be al honour and glorie for euer.

Amen.