Aarons Bells, Title page – To the reader
AARONS BELLS A-SOVNDING.
In A SERMON, tending cheiftly to admonish the miniſterie, of their charge, & duty.
Preached by M. SAMVEL HIERON at a generall viſitation neere Bristow.
And now published by them to whom his coppy was entruſted after his death.
Mal. 2.1.
And now ô Preiſts this Commandment is for you.
PRINTED. 1623.
THE EPISTLE TO THE READER.
IT was ſaid of old,Ier. 23.15. that from the Prophets of Ieruſalem, was wickednes gone forth, into the whole land: And, it may be ſaid, as truly this day. that, the Sinns of the miniſters, have infected, the whole Eſtate.
Now indeed, by the rule of the Goſpel, it muſt needs be ſo: If the light (ſaith our Saviour) which is in thee, mat 6.23.be darknes, how great is that darknes? If the calling, which should give direction to others, be it ſelfe corrupted how great muſt that corruption be? If the founteine be poyſoned, all, that drinke thereof, muſt needs be in danger. I am, by the merciemercy, of him that hath called me, a Chriſtian: therefore, cannot but even honour, the feete of Gods meſſengers: I am a miniſter, Rom. 10.15.and alſo am bound, to mainteine the credit, of the calling: but let my tongue, cleave to the roofe of my mouth, rather then I shoule uſe it, to the licking over thoſe ſores, which, except they be launced to the quicke, and ſearched to the bottome, can never be cured. And wretched is that kindnes, which goeth about, to heale the hurt of the church, with ſweete words: ſaying, all is as it should be, when the garden of the Lord, lyeth, like the feild of the Sluggard, and his vineyard, like the vineyard of him that is idle: and Sion, even now,Jer. 4.31. as in time paſt, ſigheth, and ſtretcheth out her hands, and cryeth, woe is me, my ſoule fainteth, becauſe of the murtherers!
What man can ſee, the deſolation of the Lords howſe, by dumbe Idoles, incroaching Simoniacks, drowſy Demaſſes, iob. 32.18ubiq uitarie Non-reſidents; but his ſpirit with in him, (if he have but a dramme of zeale) will even compel him, to lift vp his voyce, and cry a lowd, againſt thoſe,Eſay. 58 1 who have no remorſe, over their ſoules, for whome Chriſt died? The earneſt deſire, to further by all good meanes, the ſpeedy reformation, of theiſe groſſe corruptions, ſtirred vp, the worthy Authour, of this fruitfull Sermon, being called to preach at a generall viſitation) to imploy part, of that precious gift, where with the Lord, in a large meaſure, had endowed him, to that moſt neceſſarie, important purpoſe. As the text was excellent, for the thing intended: ſo hath he handled it: I ſpeake my opinion, and doubt not, but thou wilt joyne with me, when thou shalt peruſe it: except, thou art forestalled, either againſt the man, or againſt the matter: his handling of it, as may be ſeene, was ſuch, as neither wrung in ought, that might be thought impertinent; nor omitted any obſervation, which the words, kindly, and voluntarily, might not afford. The ſence, is delivered ſoundly: the diviſion made artificially, the doctrines rayſed naturally, prooved ſubstantially, 2. tim 2.15.and applyed powerfully; heere is art: the words cut a-right, heere is learning, the declaration of the trueth, heere is eloquence in the plaine evidence of the ſpirit, 1. Cor. 2 4heere is zeale allayed with mildnes of the ſpirit, and sharpnes of reproofe, tempered with ſweetnes of exhortation.
Such, as thou ſeeſt his Sermon to be, were his weekely exerciſes: ſuch was his doctrine, ſuch was his life, for gravitie, admired: for amiablenes, for readines, either to admonish, or exhort, according to occaſion, for bowells of compaſſion, to the poore, even a continuall Sermon. Few ſuch Elthues, ſo full of matter: ſuch Timothes, ſo nourished vp, in the words of faith,iob, 32.18. 1. tim. 4.6 Eſay. 57.2 and of good doctrine, which he continually followed. And as he walked, before God, in his life time: ſo now he resteth from his labours, in him: and is joyned to the company of innumerable Angels, Rev. 14. Heb. 12.22.23. mat. 9.28. phil. ….23.24. Eſay. 57.1& to the ſpirits of juſt and perfect men. It was to the churches great loſſe, that in this ſcarſity, of faithfull labourers, he abode no longer in the flesh: but, as for him, it was a benefit, to be ſo ſoone diſſolved, being thereby taken from the evill to come: and gone to Christ which is beſt of all. But, I will hold thee no longer, from peruſing this, his after-worke, which by Gods providence, comeing to my hands, I thought my ſelfe bound in conſcience, to impart vntounto thee.
I pray God the reading it, may ſo worke with thee, that, if thou be a minister, it may either reforme thee; or incourage thee; according as, thou art either lyable to the reproofe, or, capable of the comfort herein conteined: or, if thou be a private Christian, it may both beget, & increaſe in thee, a reverence, to the ministers of God: & ſuch a deepe detestation, of theiſe enormous corruptions, heere taxed: that thou mayſt become a daylie ſuttour, at the throne of grace, that the Lord, for his owne name ſake, and for his poore churches ſake, would vouchſafe, ſpeedity to reforme them, Amen! *⁎*
A poſt-ſcript to the Reader.
CVrteous Reader, we muſt renew the common, and ordinarie requeſt, at thy hands: namely, to conceive the better, of ſuch, as had the peruſing, and printing this Sermon: when thou shalt meete with ſome few places therein (for they are not many) more difficult, then can be wel vnderſtood: & other, petty, ſmall faults, of the preſſe.
For the one, know, the Coppy came to vsus miſerably written, which therefore craved a neceſſitie of retranſcribing, wherein were ſome places hard to be read: yet being loth, to leave out any ſentence, or peice of a ſentence, which we could make English of, we put ſome words downe, at a venture.
For the other, know, that it was printed, where, our language is a ſtranger: and by ſuch, as could neither vnderſtand nor ſpeake the ſame: and therefore, it could not be, but that more then ordinarie ſlips, and ſolaeciſmes, in our tongue, muſt be committed: but ſticke not thou, at theiſe triffling errours; make vſe of the ſolid, and ſubſtantiall matter, thou shalt find in the worke: and give God the glory of his owne trueth, tho in the light thereof, a little obſcured, with the motes, of humore frailety, from shining, altogether ſo cleerely to thee. Fare well.