The Faithful Shepherd, Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of the neceſſitie and excellencie of the Miniſterie and the Word preached.
WHen the World by wiſedome knew1. Cor. 1. 21. not God in the wiſedome of God, it pleaſed God to appoint a weakeThe neceſſitie of Preaching and Preachers. meanes, in carnall iudgement, euen the fooliſhneſſe of preaching to ſaue his elect: And heerein ordinarily God will ſhew his power to ſaue all that ſhall be ſaued. It was from the beginning Preaching and Prophecying, before the fall and after. In Paradiſe God taught Adam and Eue both Law Geneſ. 2. 6. 17. and Goſpell, Geneſ. 3. 15. Before the floud, Enoch, Iude verſ. 14. Noah 1. Pet. 3. 19. After the floud, to Moſes, Abraham, Geneſ. 20. 7. and 18. 19. Iſaac and Iacob, Ioſeph, Pſal. 105. 22. From Moſes, Ieremie ſaith, the LordIer. 7. 25. ceaſed not to ſend his ſeruants the Prophets. And S. Iames witneſſeth that Moſes had his ordinarie teachers, continued to his daies, Act. 15. 21. The Apoſtle S. Paul tels vsus, that as Chriſt ſent out his Apoſtles, and gaue them a charge at his Aſcenſion, with a promiſe, Matt. 28. 18. 19. So he gaue gifts for the Miniſterie and Preaching of the Word vntounto the worlds end, Epheſ. 4. 12. Eſai 66. 21. Ier. 33. 21. without the which the people periſh, Prouerb. 29. 18. How can people call on him in whom they hauehave not beleeued? How can they beleeue of whom they hauehave not heard? and how can they heare without a Preacher? It is therefore verie neceſſary, and thoſe which ſhould preach the ſame. For this cauſe, by the holy ſpirit the Miniſters of the Goſpel are called Light, Salt, Sauiours, Seers, Chariots of Iſrael, & Horſemen thereof, Paſtours, Planters, Waterers, Builders, and Stewards, Watchmen, Soldiers, Nurſes, and ſuch like; comparing them to ſuch things, and callings, as are moſt common, and alſo needfull to neceſſarie vſes: that the neceſſity of them heereby may be conſidered of, both for the Church and Common-wealth. For that is true by experience, that men thorough the preaching of the Word conſcionably, are brought to more euen ciuill humanitie, than, by the lawes of man, which may bridle ſomewhat: But it is the Word onelyonly which worketh conſcience to God, true obedience to men, Chriſtian louelove and pietie: Yea the Word can worke ſuch humiliation and ſubiection (for it is the power of God) and that to be voluntarilie, as it appeareth in the King of Nineuie, his Nobles and people, as no power of man can worke and bring them vntounto. Therfore ſhould this, if men hauehave no better grace, euen in policie be accounted neceſſarie, and by Princes be vpholden and maintained. Why ſhould not therefore men couet to be in this calling euen for publike good? which is not onelyonly profitable, andThe Miniſterie is an honorable calling. neceſſarie, but alſo withall a very honorable function, and a woorthie worke, 1. Tim. 5. 1. which both God himſelfe and the woorthieſt men that euer liued tooke vponupon them. To paſſe ouer other; Salomon that moſt wiſe king, and for regall magnificencie and power had not his peere: y…t intituled himſelfe the Preacher. Our Sauiour Chriſt did chuſe to honour this calling, and performed in his perſon, the office of a Preacher amongſt men on earth, in all mens ſight: but refuſed to be a Iudge, or to be made a King: though he ordained both and is truely both. Dauid a woorthy warriour, and a valiant champion, yea a royall King, diſdained not to be a Prophet of God vntounto the people; yea and once Prieſt-like to dance cheerely before the Arke of God in a white garment. Eſaias is held to be of the blood royal, & yet a Prophet & Teacher in Iudah, without diſparagement.This is not to be vnderſtood, as ſpoken of honeſt men, but of the vnconſcionable in their callings.
Some of our States and Gentrie, with prophane Eſau cōtemne as he did this calling for a meſſe of pottage, worldly pompe, pleaſure, and profit; wiſh their children any thing, worldly Lawyers, fraudulent Merchants, killing Phyſicians, bloody Captaines, idle looſe liuers, ſwearing ruffians, walkers on Shooters-hill, & courſers on Salisburies plaines, to maintaine their riot, rather than (as they call them) Prieſts. And yet this ſtate is magnified of God and man.
The Lord requireth that his Miniſters be receiued with double honour. To whom doth euer Chriſt ſay, but to them: He that heareth you heareth me, and him that ſent me. He that deſpiſeth you, deſpiſeth me and my father alſo.
Hath not God ſet them out with honorable titles, & calleth th… Miniſters of God, Tit. 1. 1. Workers together with God, 2. Cor. 6. 1. Ambaſſadors of Chriſt Ieſus? 2. Cor. 5. 19. Elders? Act. 5. 20. 1. Tim. 6. Ouerſeers? Tit. 1. Fathers, Men of God; Friends of God; Diſpoſers of the ſecrets of Gods holie ones? Pſal. 89. 19. and 106. 16. Prophets, Angels? All titles of reuerence, honor, and preheminence.
Why then ſhould any diſdaine (ô yee ſonnes of Nobles) to take this calling vponupon you, or any of you to be male content, who hauehave alreadie entred hereunto, becauſe the proud & wicked deſpiſe you? Heare I pray you (yee Heralds of the euerliuing God) may it poſſiblie ſeeme a ſmall thing to be2. Cor. 2. 15. & 10. 5. a ſeparated people vntounto God himſelfe from the multitude of men? to be the ſweet ſauour of Chriſt in all that are ſaued and them that periſh? to caſt downe the imagination of man, and euerie high thought againſt God? to bring it captiue to the obedience of Chriſt?
Is it a ſmall matter to meddle with the Secrets of God, to ſaue ſoules, to open and ſhut the kingdome of heauen, for and againſt whomſoeuer?
Many other callings are, as on the earth, ſo for the earth or earthly matters. But this concerneth the ſoule and heauenly things.
This calling in eueryevery part thereof enforceth vponupon a man heauenly Meditations, which none els doth properly.
When a Miniſter ſpeakes truely Gods Word, he may ſpeake freely to all: And all muſt heare him, as if God ſpake, with reuerence: els, it will be eaſier for Sodome andLib. 1. de ratione concionandi. Gomorrha in the day of iudgement than for that perſon or people, Math. 10. 14. 15. Sires ipſas, ſaith Eraſmus, iuſtâ penſemus trutin…, nullus eſt rex tam magnificus, quatenus rex eſt, quin ſit infra dignitatem, non dicam Epiſcopi, ſed dicam Paſtoris, quatenus eſt Paſtor. And leſt it might ſeeme a paradox, hee prooueth it by comparing the matter and the ſcope of either calling with other: Honor & ſublimitas Epiſcopalis (ſaith S. Ambroſe in Paſtorali) nullis poterit comparationibu… adaequari. Si Regum fulgori compares & principum diademati, longe erit inferior comparatio, quâm ſi plumb… metallum ad auri fulgorem compares. And againe a little after in the ſame booke he ſaith; Nihil in ſeculo hoc excellentius ſacerdotibus, nihil ſublimius Epiſcopis reperiri poteſt. Where leſt the former ſhould be taken as onelyonly ſpoken of ſuch as are Biſhops, he in this latter place, ſpeakes of Prieſts, and of them, before Biſhops: but all this muſt be vnderſtood of good Biſhops and Prieſts, els I dare ſay, Nihil in hoc ſeculo peſtilentius Epiſcopis & Sacerdotibus impijs, quales ſunt papales, qui ventrem pro Deo habent, qui gloriam ſibi adulatione, opibus, honore, vaniloquentia acquirere ſtudent, qui terreſtria ſapiunt, qui per auaritiam ſi…titijs verbis auditores ſuos nundinantur; qui ſimiles animalibus ratione expertibus, voluptatem in quotidianis ponunt delitijs: qui animum habent rapinis exercitatum, & habendi coaceruandi que beneficia & honores cupiditate inexplebilem, quibus tenebrarum caligo ſempiterna reſeruatur. But for ſuch as be faithfull is reſerued a crown of glorie; and by ſauing of ſoules, they ſhall in heauen ſhine as the ſtarres for euer and euer.
We thus ſee the neceſſitie of this calling, the honour thereof; and how highly it is magnified by God himſelfe, and good men.
There is no cauſe why amongſt vsus that are called Chriſtians, it ſhould be eſteemed ſo contemptible a calling: which alſo the very heathen, who neuer knew the true God, ſo much reuerenced.
It is recorded, that amongſt the Athenians no King was created before he had taken orders, and was made a Prieſt.
The Egyptians are ſaid, of Philoſophers to chuſe their Prieſts, and of their Prieſts Kings.
Vziah a mightie King in Iudah, who though he offended in preſumption, yet his act declared his high eſteeme of the Prieſts office, and that it was not ſo baſe in his eies as now the Miniſterie of Chriſt is amongſt many of vsus. An office more meet for the mightieſt perſon of the beſt education and nobleſt birth, than for the baſeſt of the people & loweſt ſort, vponupon whom for the moſt part it is caſt; becauſe the wiſemen of the world, men of might, & the noble, hold it derogatorie to their dignities, the Word it ſelfe too ſimple a ſubiect for their deepe conceits and reach in policies. But this is the Lords doing; that the fooliſh things of the world might confound the wiſe; weake things, mightie;1. Cor. …. vile things and deſpiſed (ſo is Gods choiſe) to bring to naught things that are: that all may be ſaid to be of him, and he hauehave the more glorie, who is heerein to be praiſed for euer.
Amen.