Works, Part 4 · Religious instruction · Chapter 49
CHAP. XLIX. Of the Ministerie.
IT is to bee feared, that the price of the Ministerie will daily decayOf the high dignity of the Ministerie, and of the great indignitie which some put vponupon it. and fall lesse and lesse: well, how base soeuer it …eemeth in the eyes of men, how low soeuer the world account it, when it is at the lowest, it is good, and I protest good enough for any, and too good for some. But it is dangerous with all (which cōmeth oft to passe, too oft, if it pleased God) if it chance (I say) to be tainted any way, if his preaching be flash, and hauehave non ore tast in it than the white of an egge, for lacke of learning, or if it bee not throughly powdered with salt, that it may giuegive grace to the hearers, and make their soules thirst after the water of life, for lacke of zeale, or if this life hauehave no salt of the couenant, and no part of him be sauorie, his case is very dangerous: he is subiect to the curse, his ministerie is denied a blessing.
2 The Minister of the Gospell must not prophecie peace to himselfe, nor of a fruitfullPreachers must bee prepared for trouble. vine on the walles of his house, nor of oliue braunches round about his table, nor of wife and children, hee must not dreame that hee is carried on Eagles wings, and that all the sheaues in the shocke shall fall downe at his sheafe, hee must not imagine of drinking wine in carued bowles, of keeping a great house, hee must not thinke hee shall goe to his graue like a ricke of corne, hee must dreame of euill fauoured kine, of troublesome friends, of hard times, of the willowe trees by the waters of Babell, of exile, of darke prison, which needeth no interpretation, that his sheaues are threshed with an yron flaile, and that her graue is made him in a woodstocke: to bee short, his minde must not runne of getting and keeping, but of forsaking and forgoing, if persecution come, wee mustIf wee will profes Christ wee must beare the cros of Christ though… bee an heauie yoke to flesh and blood. trudge.
3 If Christ and his Gospell should goe from vsus, wee must follow him, wee must goe sing the Lords song in a strange land: and this is not all. Those that louelove thee best, whose soules are knit to thy soule, thou must forsake. O my father Abraham, and O my son Isaac must part, thou must forsake thy father which begat thee, and bring his gray head with sorrow to the graue, thou must forsake the wombe that bare thee, and the teares that gaue thee sucke, let the mother lacke the staffe of her age, the children of thy loines must thou leaue fatherlesse; and the wife of thy bosome a widow to the wilde world. Yet this is not all: thou must stretch out thy hands, and let another man gyrde thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. And yet there lacks one thing: Sathans great motiue, skinne for skinne, that for which a man will giuegive all that hee hath to redeeme his life. All these things will I giuegive thee (saith the diuell:) all these things will I take from thee saith Christ, we must be ready to leaue them all, or else we are not for him.
4 By this time all is almost marred. But flesh loueth ease, and it grieueth her that God and Mammon are no better friends, and we could be content eueryevery one of vsus to be Diues, whilest we be aliue, so we might be Lazarus when we be dead: wee could willingly goe to heauen, but it would bee in a conuenient broade way then, but in such a way▪ where wee might driue a sumpter-horse before vsus. This is a disease where with we are all tainted, as that wilie Serpent knoweth right well, and such thoughts as these doth he make oft arise in our hearts; Seeing other estates liue the dayes of heauen, glut themselues in the pleasures of this world, and that the world sets them in her lap, and makes them her cockneyes, seeing they waxe wealthy and fatte, so that as Iob saith, they hauehave collops in their flancke, seeing them cloathed in softe rayment, flaunt it out, and seeing them carry the crest alofte, and to hauehave a great range, and not such streightnesse required of them; and seeing them neuer to drinke of the waters of troubles: wee straight-way thinke, it is no better then madnes to abridgeWhat thoughts Sathan doth suggest into men to dislike their callings. our selues of these delights, and to become a Pillar of salt. As for this estate (say men) it is but a dead melancholike calling, but a dumpish kinde of life, no ioy of heart, wee must liue in it like petie-Angels, as if we dropped out of the clowdes, or else we shall be offensiue. But especially this temptation may come vntounto a minister; for often we see when all is done, great learned Augustine shall get but little Hippo; but if it be so you come to get Carthage, to be a Priest of the highest chaire, sit you neuer so well, yee sit not fast: and see the gyrts be sure, that hold you in your saddle. For if the Sunne goe downe, and it be a darke night, that all the beasts of the field creepe forth, whereas other callings may make a little elbow-roome for pollicie, and reserue themselues to an indifferent Interim, and it will be well taken, yet these men, these must be killed all the day, and be counted as sheepe appointed to be slaine. The Diuell will holde the spunge of vineger and gall too at their noses, the Flesh is queasie-stomacked, and cannot away with these poudered meates, shee must hauehave it fresh.
5 It is our fault too much to commend eueryevery trifle, our tongues are our owne, we callOutreaching & raging cō mendations must learne modestie and measure of the holy Ghost. euill good, if one bee not an open offender, so that hee drawe not his sinne after him with cart-roapes, though we see neither zeale nor feare of God in all his wayes, wee tremble not to call him a good man. In our flattering lippes we speake nothing but superlatiues, and thinke otherwise we commend not a thing to any purpose. But in the Dialect of the holie Ghost it is not so, he is no giuer of titles, and yet this much of his mouth is more then seuen swelling hyperboles from a vaine man. This word (good) is his emphasis, and in this word he expresseth matter of most high commendation. If we should take vponupon vsus to speake of the workmanship of the Lord, in the creation of heauen and earth, and the Hosts of them, both, would we not vse the statelyest words in all our store? Nay, could we find any words stately enough to expresse them? I tell you nay; but they are able to swallow vp our vnderstanding, and to make our tongues cleaue to the roofe of our mouth. And yet the holie Ghost reporting the creation of them all: as of Light, which is (saith Iob) the Lords rose ofA description of God his worke. estate; of darknes, which is the swadling bands of the Day, the out-going of the Euening and Morning, and declaring how he powred out the Heauens like molten glasse, and set vp the firmament as a water ouer vsus, how he laid the beams of his chamber in the waters, howLight. he railed in the proud Seas with barres and doores, and planted plaines in the midst of it,Darknes. how he lighted those euerlasting Cressets, the Sunne and the Moone, and gaue charge to the Starres not to faile in their watch; telling how he created the clowds to be the bottles of heauen, and diuided spouts in them for the raine; how he laid vp his treasures of Snow and of haile, and prepared the Forge for his Lightnings and Thunder, describing the creation of Plants from the Cedar of Libanus to the hysop that groweth by the wall; of birds, from the Ostrich to the flie: of beasts, from Behemoth and Leuiathan, to the little Eme…; And last of all, Man, the Countie Palatine of the whole world; and of the passing Wisedome in his reynes: these workes be highly to be commended, if any thing be to be highly commended; to be magnified, if any thing be to be magnified: in all these the holy Ghost neither riseth nor falleth, but this word serueth him throughout, and God saw it was good: and why not excellent good, but that we might know his word is mightie in the simplicitie thereof, and that what he calleth good, is excellent good. Yea heauen and earth may be glad of it, seeing the word of God, whereof one iote is of more price then they both: that the word, Hebr. 6. is called the good word of God, and to stoppe the mouthes of them, that will teach the holy Ghost Rhetoricke, Christ himselfe, Iohn 10. entituleth himselfe no otherwise but the good Shepheard. And good was thought good enough for him, and doe we yet require a more stately commendation?
6 The Calling of the Ministerie is an alluring Calling, and, as I may say, a Calling that calleth men vntounto it, a louely Calling, such a Calling, as the beames of it are able to rauishA pithie praise of the calling of the Ministerie. an eye: yet some being to marrie this Virgin, thinke her but hard fauoured, and therefore before hand will be sure of a good portion with her, or els they will none of her: but she is full of grace euen downe to the feete, in their eyes that louelove her, and full of Maiesty & terrour euen to the dust of her feete, vntounto al them that despise her, which more respect the reward than the worke: but this I confesse withall, that our eyes are so dazled with the golden stone, and the horsseaches daughter, GiueGive, GiueGive, cries so in our eares, and euer since Adam did eate the apple, all the mouthes of his posteritie are so out of taste, that we can neither heare, nor see, nor taste any thing that good is. True it is, that if we looke vponupon this calling with an eye of flesh, it lookes euen like Christ for all the world. Esay. chap. 53. like a withered branch, and like a roote in the drie ground, and there is neither beautie nor fauour in it, that we should desire it. I am sure the eye of a carnall man can see no good in it, vnlesse it be good to cleane vntounto the Lord: or it is good for me that I hauehave beene afflicted: and such like, which are like pilles, and will not (to die for it) downe with a carnall man. Well, Christ saith this Calling is good. We see, what is thought in heauen of this Calling. Howsoeuer it be shut vp in contempt of the men of this generation, that though they say not, it is not good, yet by shrinking from it, they proclayme so, louder than a trumpet, that they thinke it is notLabralactucas. good. Let them laugh, we know, that euen an Asse, if she could laugh, would laugh at any, whosoeuer he were, that eateth not thistles. Let them iudge, when mans iudgementThe sacriledge of our time in Church robberies, oh that the learned wold more preach it, and write against it. is done, we shall receiue the fruite of a better Fountaine. Let them spoyle Churchliuings, and deuoure the Lords portion, let them swell with disdaine, and burst with contempt against vsus, a blessed contempt it is, that fashioneth these dayes of my vanitie into the similitude of the age of Christ. Christ doth not onelyonly say this Calling is good, but he hath magnified this Calling in his own Person. He himselfe saith Paul Roman. chapter 15. verse 8. was a Minister of the Circumcision with vsus. The Princes themselues hauehave no greater honour than to ouersee the Church. The best day that euer Dauid liued, was when in a linnen Ephod, he daunced before the Arke, and that was the day that he weepeth and panteth to remember, Psalme 42. Salomon the wisest, richest, mightiest, and most glorious among the sonnes of men, Ecclesiastes or Preacher was the crowne and beautie of his honour, and aboue all titles of kingdomes, and countries, this was most honourable, Salomon Psalm▪ 42. Ecclesiastes.the Preacher. But what are men, or what are Kings or Princes in respect of Angels? Yet euen these glorious Spirits, the whole host of Angels, whether they be Dominions, Principalities or Powers, the highest Honours they hauehave, the proudest Title they boast of, is to beHeb. 1. ver. last▪ Ministring Spirits. If he be an Angell, he hath no greater glory. And who art thou? and what is thy fathers house, that canst farme vntounto thy selfe greater Honour than to serue the Lord in this busines? These arguments might moue vsus, but aboue all arguments take this: The Sonne of God, before whom euen the very Cherubins couer their faces, spent his life in this Calling, and shall a peece of clay, a man, a stinking worme, so farre exalt himselfe in his birth, in his riches, in his wisedome, personage or blood, that he shall think it a disgrace to consecrate all his life to the ministery of the Gospell? Can flesh puffe vp it selfe so farre aboue the Saints, aboue the Angels, aboue the Lord himselfe, or if he doe, shall he not be rewarded? Yes surely, for if the Lord would keepe silence, the very creatures themselues would be reuenged of him.
7 We must desire that which is truely good, for there are many kindes of good: ThereDiuers kinds of good. is Isachars good, Genes. chap. 49. Isachar an Asse of great bones couching downe betweene two burthens, sa…e that which was good, and was content to beare. Howsoeuer many bigboned Asses lay them downe betweene a paire of burthens for ease, hastning onelyonly to auoy de the burthen and the heate of the day. There is Demetrius his good, the siluersmith: Sirs, yee know that by this craft we hauehave our goods. For we know, that the labour is nothing so great now, as it hath beene, and that in these daies, a clus…er of the common or ciuill lawe is worth an whole vintage of diuinitie. There is Balaacks good, Numb. chap. 22. I purpose to doe thee good, to promote thee. There is Peters good: Be good to Speake pleasing things and serue the time.your selfe. …or we knowe, if he dare say to the King, thou art impious, he may carrie Iohn Baptists reward for his labour, and send his head for a second course. And yet there is a better good. For we must not, saith Syracid, Aske of a woman, touching whom she is …ealous nor of an ambitious man touching thankefulnesse, nor of an…ireling for the finishing of … worke, nor of the men of the world touching the things pertaining to God: for the world is a great fauourer of the heresie of the Libertines, and if we fall to counsell with flesh and blood, we may doe to the booke of God, as Ieconiah did to the Prophecie of Ieremiah, cutte it in peeces with a pen-knife, and cast it into the fire, for the wisedome of this world is foolishnesse with God, 1 Cor. 1.
8 Whatsoeuer is written, for vsus it is written, and if it be written for vsus, and for our sakes,A modest preoccupatiō in speaking of the Ministerie. Let me heare (saith Dauid) what the Lord will say concerning me, and so we must attend to heare the Lord: what he will say concerning vsus. As for me, although I doe but sitte and mend my nettes, and hauehave no part nor fellowship in this businesse, being vnworthie to be matriculated into the high calling of the Ministerie, yet feeling my soule hath chosen the tabernacle of the Lord, for his portion, and seeing the day may come, that I may keepe a doore in the same, as the Lord liueth, before whom I speake, he knoweth that in his feare I speake to this end, that by mine owne mouth I may be stirred vp to prepare my selfe to this calling: and that all you as Augustine said in his case (when it was as mine is now) hearing what my desire and purpose is, may pray to God for me, that I may hauehave power and strength giuen me to performe it.
9 In prouiding for the Ministerie, good men would be preferred. God can doe much they say, he may make them able. It is like Saunders argument: God is omnipotent: Ergo What care to be had in admitting any to the calling of the Ministery.there is transubstantiation. Nay he hath enabled diuers well. In the wildernesse, when meate could not be gotten, he rained quailes, but in Canaan, when they were in case to prouide for themselues, that prouision ceased. Many simple men at the first comming of the Gospell, were stirred vp, when the Vniuersities were the greatest enemies of his truth, but now when he hath restored to vsus the plentie of Canaan, we must know, that the date of that extraordinarie calling in our daies is expired. *Obiection.Yet he may doe well. True, he that casteth blindfold may hit the marke: but yet no wise man will lay any wager on his head.O…us est vel ipsis Angelis formidandam. Bernard. If I might see a fierie tongue sit on his head, I would say somewhat. After his receiuing vp into glorie, whē he ascended vp on high, then he gaue gifts vntounto men, such gifts as on their Coronation daies Kings are wont in great abundance to scatter among the people. TheRarae & eximiae virtutis negotium est, & humana facultate superius. I. Ca…u. Conduits ranne with wine, and all the cocks with rose water, and his Missilia new coyne of gold & siluer by handfuls were throwne amongst them Such were the gifts of tongues, prophecying, healing, all knowledge, and other graces. Now although he giuegive vsus all things liberally, yet he cōtinued not his largesse daily, as at his inauguration. We must not looke alwaies to hauehave the like MAN for gathering it vp, but returne to our occupations:How respect must be had of if … mealling to the Ministerie. and let vsus remember the Lords steward must be fraught with all store, new and olde, fitte to entertaine the sonne and daughter of the great King of heauen▪ Prophecying the signe of learned men. Numb. 11. 25. Euen poore Bez…l and A…oliab before they could make curtaines, and worke in blew silke, yet for so much as it belonged to the Lords tabernacle, they were filled with the Spirit of God in these mechanicall hand…-workes. Esay. 6. 7. his…iam in ipso Christo prius spiritus quam legatio▪ o…um …am aren…. mouth was touched with the hotte cole, & then sent, verse. 8. …erem. 1. 9▪ his mouth is tou ched with the Lords hand, and he was bidden goe and crie. chap 2. 1. of Christ this question was asked, Iohn. 7. 15. How knoweth this man the Scripture? their testimonie is of him Ioh. 7. 46. Matth. 7. 28. he speakes with power, and what this exceliencie is, may appeare byMany arguments of Christs excellencie in all knowledge and learning. his disputation with good schollers, as it was likely, Luke chap. 2. verse 46. by his Hebrew Ephathah, whereas their vulgar speech was Syrian, by his perfect and often quoting of the Scriptures, and the Thalmud in discourse of the traditions of Corban, and the other of the gold of the temple &c. by Herods great expectation, and questioning with him of many things, Luke chap. 23. verse 9. by Sadduces and Scribes, putting …th hard questions, as of the woman hauing seuen husbands, of paying tribute, and his stopping their mouthes, and by teaching by Parables, which was the learning most accounted of in these times, and as yet amongst the Iewes best thought of: by the desire that the Greekes had to see him, which came vp to the seast, Iohn chap. 12. verse 21. by the counsell of his brethren, that he should get him abroad, and shew himselfe to the world, thought to be famous. By his owne testimonie, Behold a wiser than Salomon is here: by Nicodemus, Iohn chap.Ioh. 7. …. Mark. 3. 2…. 3. verse. 2. which confesseth him to be a Teacher sent from God. M…tth. chap. 13. verse 51. The Apostles daily taught by Christ the best Schoolemaster for three who eyeere together, and yet more, were commaunded to tarrie and waite for the promise of the …ather, the Comforter to be sent. Apollos through his learning, a great helpe to the Apostles, Act.Pauls learning and knowledge in humanitie. chap. 18. verse 24. and 28. Paul was brought vp at the feete of Gam…l…l, a per…ct Pharisie, Act. chap. 21. vers. 3. an expoūder of the law, though rude in speech, yet not in knowledge, 2. Corinth chap. 11 vers. 6. in conuerting Paulus Sergius a learned man, Dio…si…s A…opagita a great Philosopher, disputing with the whole troupe of the Stoicks and Epicures atNugae in or… …acerd▪ …s quasi blasphemiae sunt: …oe-d… …ou…tur ad ri…u… oe-dius mo…et. Bern. Athens, read in A…atus, Epimenides, Menander, made Foelix to tremble with the force of his eloquence, was thought Mercurie for his eloquēce at L…aonia, by the notable course and vaine of all his epistles, not inferiour to the writings of any of the …ea…hen, Festus thought him to be madde with much learning, Act. chap. …6. verse 24 he w…lled Timothie to bring his bookes and parchments from Troas, 2. Timoth. chap. 4. verse 13. by Peters testimonie, 2. Pet. chap. 3. verse 16 according to the wisedome giuen vntounto him. Timothie wasFuturus Pastor Ecclesiae …alis eligatur, cuius comparatione …aeter… merito g…e… dicātur. …er. ad Ocean. perfectly taught in the Scriptures frō a child, 2. Timoth. chap. 3. verse 13. in so much as he had prophecyings going before of him, 1. Timoth. chap. 1. verse 1…. nourished vp in the word of faith and good doctrine, 1. Timoth. chap 4. verse 6. charged to giuegive attendance to reading and learning, and to continue therein, 1. Timoth. chap. 4. verse 16.
10 Euerie thing in the Sanctuarie was double to that which was common, as the Shekle, the Cubit: so ought it to be with the Minister. Tri…les in the Ministers mouth are blasphemies: laughter in him is vnseemely, and to moue laughter is more vnseemely▪ Al… Vehementer …n…re…at▪ attd…t tet…c…, sin minus vehementer audit frigidus.will crie and say to them in their infirmities. Art thou become weake also as we? A…t thou become weake like to vsus? Esa. chap 14 verse 16. *Gen. …7. 22. Chrysost. in Act. 2.Thy voycetruely is Ia…obs▪ sweete and soft, but thy hand is the paw of …sa…, rough and hairie Let such a one be called Pastor of the Church, as in comparison of him, the rest may be called a flocke. H…r…. ad Ocean. And it is the Canon which the very Papists vse in electing of Ministers, Distinct. 25 Whosoeuer of Aarons seed had any b…emish in him, should not prease to offer before God, neither to come neere the vayle, neither to stand by the Altar, Leuit. 21 17 Vnlesse he willHier ad Greg. lib. Epist. 9. quid in te miratur multitudo, si sua in te recog…os…at, si …e respiciat, quod vlt… …e inuen at, … quae in se erube…ca…; in t… que… rener…ndum ar…tra… offendat▪ Cyp…an … epist ad Haeret. Consulen… de via, si …am in Dieauerit, alia ipse iuerit, non indicantem sequaris sed euntem. depart from iniquitie, let him not once name Christ his name: his mores will be beames▪ Iohn Baptist is too streight, Christ is too loose, and his disciples wash not their hands before meate. Elisha hath a bald pa…, and one thing or other stands yet in the way: …e delights not, or he …ifies not. Doth Gods Minister rebuke sharpely, then is he too sowre; if he admonish mildely, then is he too colde. A Bishop (saith Hierome) must be of such knowledge and holmesse, that both his gesture and motion, habite and atti…e, must (as it were) speake of his grauitie, his words and actions must be instructions to his people. And H… rome saith, what shall the multitude commend in thee, if they finde their owne d…for…i ties in thee? If they finde nothing which is not in themselues? If they finde that in thee (whom they thinke to reuerence) which being found in themselues would make them blush? Ministers are the Lords messengers, and they must not carrie with them (as did Vvias) a letter for the knowledge of such things as serue and tend to their destruction. Damnant se ipsos sua vo…e qui sui similes …ferno d…mnant, with their owne words doe they condemne themselues, which doe condemne such as be like themselues in the hels. If I aske a man of the right way, & he shall point at one way, and himselfe will goe another way, I will not regard his words, but follow his steps. Wel, as he is an adulterer, that with a desiring eie looketh on the beautie of his neighbours wife, albeit that woman shl remaine chast; so are they murtherers in doing, as much as in thē lieth, to kill by their Iewd example, the soules of their brethren, although the Lord by his mercy preserue them from contagion. An euilMalus Minister Nisus diaboli. minister is the diuels hauke, he is the diuels best factour. Surely Sermons confuted by an euill life, are like to milke turned in the seething. By preaching they hew timber out of the thicke1. Cor. 9. 29. The euill life of Ministers how dangerous. trees, by euill life againe, they breake downe the carued worke, and with axes & hammers, Psal. 74. But whereunto shall I compare them? They be like to spittle-men, perfit in the waies they neuer went, directing others, lying still themselues. They be like Heraulds at Armes setting their armies together by the eares, they thēselues neuer strike one stroke, like to markes in the high waies, which rotte away themselues whiles they stād instructing others in the way, or to bels calling other to the places where they neuer come, to blackeSimile. sope making white, & remaining blacke; to blunt whetstones, which sharpen other things but they continue dull; to rough ragged files, smoothing all other things, themselues remaining rough and not changed; to Noahs ship-wrights, which make the Arke, but themselues were not saued in it.
11 When a certaine man had put Master Foxe in minde of one, on whom being afflicted in mind God blessed his ministerie, and asked him if he were yet in his remembrance, yes, said he, I forget Lord and Lady, but I remember such.
12 A certaine man said that in our age many Ministers were like to seruants who had long liued vnderunder a good Maister, so as they had gotten some competent stocke, vponupon theSimile. increase whereof they did so much attend, that they neglected and forgat their ancient care for their maister.
13 He obserued that some speaking against eloquence, did sauour much of an humane spirit in their preaching, which is as euill or worse. For eloquence is not simply forbidden,Eloquence in preaching. but when it waiteth on carnal wisedome, for otherwise ioyned with the power of the word, and demonstration or euidence of the spirit, it is effectuall: but humane wisedome, very barren and destitute of eloquence is euill.
14 It were necessarie in the church of God, as Iosuah ministred to Moses, Elisha to Eliah, Samuel to Ely, Gehezi to Elisha, Baruch to Ieremiah, the Disciples to Christ, Timothy toAgainst such as are negligent in the Ministerie, who by distinctions allow their sin, but we must doe that which is without all controuersie, not intermingling it with bastard distinctions. Paul, that likewise eueryevery learned godly Pastor should traine vp some young scholler, to commend him the better, and to enable him the more in the Church.
15 The climing Canons of the Pope were the cause of this mingling of Ciuill lawes with Diuinitie. First, Odia restringere. Fauores ampliare: that is, you must restraine eueryevery commaundement of God, for they call those Odia. As, Feed my sheepe, we must distinguish of that, by that old distinction: either by my selfe or by another, & sometimes by my selfe▪ these are the promises of God, which they make so large, that they maruell, how one that is conuersant in the Scriptures can be but a wicked man. But Dauid saith the contrarie Psalme 119. Lord thy commaundements are so broad that I am astonied at them: and the promises are set forth with so many conditions that they shall find them very narrow. C… phalus as I reade, who was an Atheist, when he was young, comming to be old, said, what if there be an hell, what if there be a punishment? So when we hauehave made vsus a commandement to our selues, out of that Pas…e, feede, then at length we shall come to say, what if Christ his meaning was not sometimes, and by another? Then they would giuegive that they got, and a thousand times as much more, if they had it, to be ridde of that, if peraduenture. In a doubtfull precept, note that which is lesse. Austin hath this rule: This sense is goodPrecepts large and promises nar…w. and godly, and so is that, holde both, for feare of quidsi, what if I tooke the wrong sense? In a matter of controuersie, remember both waies. Who would not be their schollers, who may be so indifferent? but it is not so. There is a rule out of Seneca: I doe the rather alleage him, because the fathers tooke many things out of him, and I supposeInterdum & per alium. Si forte. there was in him something aboue nature. One wrote vntounto him to knowe, how he might knowe riches were not the chiefe felicitie, and that vertue was. He sent him word, that whether vertue were or no, is was neuer doubted; but whether riches were, it hath beene aSenecas commendation. controuersie, chuse that which neuer came into controuersie: So whether to do our dutiesThat Ministers must not be absent from the flock and performe duties by substitutes. diligently, be good or no, it was neuer doubted, but whether by another, or sometimes our selues, it was doubted of in the most ignorant times But this subtle dispuring, as Paul calleth it▪ will prooue foolish, and this shifting of things by distinction, vnlesse they be grounded on the word of God, Austen held it wisedome to acknowledge a fault where is none? the wise man faith, I was afraid being sure of the truth, I dread all my doings: this is the reason of the regenerate man.