A Hand of Fellowship to Help Keep Out Sin and Antichrist, Dedication 1
TO HIS REVEREND and right Worſhipful brethren, the Preachers of the glorious Goſpell within the Deanery of Charing in Kent: ROBERT ABBOTT their fellow-Souldier, for the maintenance of the Goſpell wiſheth faithfulneſſe and conſtancie to the end.
Right Worſhipfull, Reuerend, and beloued:
WHom our gracious God hath vnited in one common ſeruice, I neither can in affection, nor could in Epiſtle at this time ſeuer; eſpecially, conſidering that what I ſhall ſay to one is fitly appliable to you all. My requeſt only is, that what I ſpeak freely to one, may with a louing and yeelding acceptance bee entertained of all, as the meſſenger of an honeſt heart, deſirous to ſtirre vp the grace of God which is in you, and to prouoke your willing mindes. I remember what is ſayd of the ſacke of Beniamin by the way, when the ſacke was opened,Sacco ſoluto reluxit argentum. the money appeared: which though I cannot apply to what I hauehave ſayd in my Sermon, or ſhall ſay at this time; yet this I will ſay, that no packet ſhall be opened wherein you ſhall diſcouer more louelove and intention of ſpirit to do your ſoules good. Mans good thoughts were not giuen him for himſelfe only, but for communication. For if they had, as the G…d of Nature would not hauehave taught the tongue to ſpeake them; ſo the God of Art would not hauehave taught the pen to write them. This is the cauſe that what meditations God hath briefly put into my heart to warme my ſelfe, thoſe hauehave and ſhall I more largely blowe and kindle to heate you all in that miniſteriall courſe, in which God hath ſet you. I preſuppoſe theſe two propoſitions to be Gods truth. Firſt, that the Churches ſpeciall ſeruants are of Gods ſending. And ſecondly, that it is neceſſary that the people, to whom wee preach, ſhould be perſwaded of it. Is not Ieruſalem which is aboue the Mother of vsus all? VVhence then ſhould wee expect all her ſeruitours not left free to her ſelfe, but from our fathers appointment? Yet what though we are called by God; will it euer be ſo comfortable vntounto vsus, if the people to whom we are ſent do not know it? We would willingly that they ſhould heare what we ſpeake in Chriſts ſtead, not as the word of man, but as it is indeed the word of God: which yet they can neuer do, except they are perſwaded that wee are ſent of God.
It is therefore worth our marking, to ſee how the Apoſtle labours the perſwaſion of this point: For himſelfe, hee doth ſtill vrge his miſſion; That the Goſpell which he preached was not after men, but that hee was called by God. And for all others, hee calleth them Souldiers, as hauing receiued their preſſe from God; and Miniſters, that all the world may know, that God keepeth the royalty of his Office in his owne hand, and makes vsus his Seruants, yea Cryers, to lend our good will and voyce to his matters to bee publiſhed. No doubt the holy Ghoſt foreſaw the neceſſity of this perſwaſion, not only that the miniſtery might hauehave the greater attention, and reſpect giuen vntounto it, but that Lydeas heart might be opened, Felix might tremble, the Iewes might be pricked in their very hearts, and made to crye out; Men and brethren, what ſhall wee doe to be ſaued! Yea, and the ſecrets of hearers hearts might be made manifeſt, and they may fall downe on their faces, and worſhip God, and ſay plainly; That God is in you indeed. Oh that now and euer God would giuegive vsus hearts to liue like thoſe that are ſent. By the arme Phyſitians paſſe iudgment of the heart,Per Brachium fit iudicium de Corde. and the people of our Sending by our Actions.
If therefore your tender conſciences do enquire, how yee may ſo liue? Oh that I could perſwade you to ſatiſfie them by obſeruing theſe three rules: Firſt, ſtriue to behaue your ſelues like men of knowledge, by taking heed to doctrine & to reading; they that muſt diuide the word of God aright, and buckle with ſuch curſed wits, as are in many places abroach to defend the waies of ſinne, had neede be more then idle or Idoll Shepheards. They that muſt hauehave an eye (as far as they can) to diſcerne the ſtate of their flocks, that they may encourage the ſtrong, adde ſtrength to the weake, and defend all (as neare as they can) from the priuy blames of their ſecreteſt aduerſaries, had neede be ſuch Meſſengers, ſuch Interpreters as beſeeme that glorious calling. Indeed,Vt prodeat, vt appereat os, vt finem faciat. if it would ſuffice a Miniſter, that he come vp into the Pulpit, and ſpeake, and make an end, we might ſoone perſwade our ſelues that we are ſent; but I like Luthers iudgment well, who requireth three things in a ſent Preacher; Prayer, Study, and Temptation: The firſt, to preuent and follow ſtudie; the ſecond, to practiſe prayer: and the third, to ſweeten both. Wee muſt pray, that wee may ſtudie profitable things: wee muſt ſtudie, that we may doe anſwerable to our petitions, both towards our ſelues and others: and wee muſt finde by experience in the combats with the power of darkneſſe, that we being tempted againſt both, doe fight the good fight of Faith. Now, whether it bee thus with vsus, I appeale vntounto our ſoules, as in the ſight of God.
Secondly, ſeeke your Maſters honour: He is an Antichriſt, who comes in his owne name; but hee that can ſay with Iohn Baptist; He muſt encreaſe, I muſt decreaſe, he is the man that is ſent. How many times doe our accuſing thoughts hit vsus in the teeth with our ſeeking our ſelues? How did that ſpeech become a dying Prel…te: So the Church may liue and floriſh, Modo viuat ac ſtoreat Eccleſia me moriente, ago non curo.I care not though I dye? And how would the ſpeech of Ecebolius become vsus (in another caſe) Trample vponupon me vnſauory ſalt, ſo my God may be honoured? But alaſſe, as a falſe-hearted woer, who is ſent to ſpeake a good word for his Friend, ſpeakes one word for his friend, and two for himſelfe: ſo (I doubt) deale ſome of vsus with God. For our Maſters ſake, whoſe Ambaſſadors wee are; for our ſoules ſake, which we do pawne vntounto God, thinke ſeriouſly vponupon theſe things. And know this for a truth, that by how much more wee make God to appeare in his Treaſure (hiding humane wiſdome, and ſpeaking by power from on high, in euidence of ſpirit) and our ſelues to be but earthen veſſels, by ſo much more we may perſwade our hearts, that wee are ſent of God.
If you aske me, what particular direction I propound vntounto my ſelfe in ſeeking of my Maſters honour? I anſwer, the Sun is called in Hebrew tongue by three names. The firſt ſignifieth the warme Sunne, becauſe nothing is hid from the heat thereof. The ſecond doth ſignifie the gliſtering Sunne, becauſe it being an excelling ſenſible dazeleth the eies of all beholders. The third ſignifieth a Miniſter or Seruant, becauſe God by it doth miniſter light, heat, and precious fruits to all people vnderunder heauen. When therefore I doe conſider, that Miniſters are called Starres in Gods right hand; and withall, that this great Starre, which God ſends out of the Chambers of the duſt, doth thus declare the glory of its Maker; I thought my ſelfe bound euen ſo to ſeeke the honour of God by the light of Doctrine, by the heat of zeale, and by the fruit of a good life. The ſame direction I commend to you: the light of Doctrine muſt ſhine from you: the heat of zeale muſt ſhew in you: and the fruit of a good life muſt be brought forth by you.
Firſt, neuer forget that you are charged before God, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, who ſhall iudge both quicke and dead, to be inſtant in preaching the word: So that if the dignity of your Flockes, who are co-heires with Chriſt; or the price of their redemption which is the blood of Ieſus; or the hungring of their ſoules for ſpirituall food, doe not mooue you to powerfulneſſe, yet let Gods forenamed charge.O vtinam tam vigiles reperirentur ad curam, quam alacres currunt ad cathedram. I know that Bernards complaint may fitly take place; Oh that men were as watchfull to diſcharge their Cures, as they are cheerefull to runne vntounto their Chaires! But, though Iſrael play the harlot, yet let not Iudah ſinne; though others be careleſſe, yet be it far from you, euen from your thoughts and inclinations. Is it difficult? be ſtrong in the grace that is in Chriſt Ieſus, and not in your ſelues. Doth it exhauſt your ſpirits? care not to ſacrifice your ſelues in the ſeruice of the Church, ſo your God may hauehave honour, and his people edification.
Secondly, what Chriſt ſaith to the Angell of Laodecea; Be zealous and amend: that would I ſay to you. For what more needefull? We dwell like men vnderunder the friged zone, our Pariſhes Friezeland, our people frozen into the mud of the world, and dregges of ſinne; and will not you be hiſſing hot in ſpirit? When Paul ſaw the Idolatrie of Athens, his ſpirit was ſtirred within him: and ſhall we hauehave no pietie to God, no pitty to men? Our words in our owne caſes manifeſt heat;Caro ſuſcepit dignitatem & anima perdidit honeſtatem. and ſhall we be in Gods key cold? Ah, let it not be ſaid, That the Fleſh hath wonne honour, and the Spirit hath loſt honeſty. I adde no more to this, but theſe few words; Let vsus take heed, leſt as luke-warme creatures, God doe ſpue vsus out of his mouth, as a diſhonourable burthen.
For the laſt, be carefull for a good life. Ambroſe ſaith; that, Speech without life is not Gods. I will not ſay ſo, I know that God may ſpeake out of a buſh that is good for nothing but burning: Yet this I ſay concerning him who honoureth not his Maſter with the fruit of a good life, that I doubt whether he can aſſure himſelfe that he is of Gods ſending, when as his ſteps lead towards hell, though his finger point towards heauen. How frequently doth God preſſe the good life of a Preacher? Yea, I remember the godly care which the great Synderion amongſt the Iewes had to this purpoſe: They ſate in a Chamber of the Temple, to trye and iudge the Prieſts, both for their Genealogies, and blemiſhes: by whom whatſoeuer Prieſt was found diſallowable, was cloathed in black, and ſo went out of the Prieſts Court; and whoſo was found perfect and fit, was clothed in white, and accounted worthy. To what end ſhould the care of God and man concurre in this, if it were not neceſſary? You hauehave learned how to apply deeper things: I will therefore end this rule, with that ſpeech of Ierome to Nepotian; foreign, ſors. Talem ſe exhibere debet, vi & ipſe poſsideat dominum, & poſ ideatur a domino.Miniſters are therefore called Clergie-men, either becauſe they are the Lords lot, or becauſe the Lord is their lot and portion: Now he which either is the Lords part, or hath the Lord for his, ought to carie himſelfe, that both hee may poſſeſſe the Lord, and bee poſſeſſed of him.
The laſt rule which I would commend vntounto you to be obſerued, that you may proue your ſelues to bee ſent of God, is, to be in a readineſſe to giuegive your Maſter an account of your ſeruice: For this is an argument of faithfulneſſe, and faithfulneſſe of a diuine Sender, who before he ſends can try the heart and reines.
Put caſe therefore that now yee heard that voice of God; Ariſe ye dead and come to iudgement: that now the earth did vomit vp her dead; that Saint Peter ſtood vp with his conuerted Iewes, and Paul with his Gentiles; that Iohn came in with Aſia, Thomas India, and Titus Creta, What would ye doe? What would ye do, I ſay? Could ye ſay, Lord, I tooke thy perſon vponupon me, to feed thy Sheep, of conſcience, not of couetouſneſſe, to build vp thy kingdome, not to inlarge my owne praiſe and purſe: I hauehave walked before thee with an vpright heart in the middeſt of thine houſe; and now (Lord) behold I am ready to giuegive thee an account of my ſinceritie, though not of my perfection? If it be thus (my Reuerend and beloued Brethren) giuegive me your hands, and let vsus with comforts goe together and trade into heauen by prayer, ſtudie, and meditation for the beſt commodities, that in Gods ſtead we may enrich his people, and preſent ſuch as belong to him as chaſt Virgins to God in the day of Chriſt. What ſhall I now ſay? I will humbly beſeech you to meaſure with louelove what I hauehave ſaid; and to ſupply ſome of the defects in particulars, with what I could ſay in the throng of my buſineſſes in the Sermon following, wch I offer vntounto your eyes, as I hauehave (for the moſt part) vntounto your eares at our laſt Viſitation, as ye freſhly remember: and with it I preſent you with the prayers of my heart, that this my ſeruice may (in this kind) as it hath (in another) be accepted, and alſo that it may ſome way be profitable to prouoke againſt all Antichriſtian abhominations. So prayeth hee who deſires euer to reſt,
From my Studie this 9th of May, 1625. Your faithfull fellow-helper in the harueſt of CHRIST IESVS. Robert Abbott.