Two Sermons — George Downame

Two Sermons · George Downame

TWO SERMONS, THE ONE COMMENDING THE MINISTERIE IN GENERALL: THE OTHER DEFENDING THE OFFICE OF BISHOPS in particular:

Both Preached, and since enlarged by GEORGE DOVVNAME Doctor of Diuinitie.

1. TIM. 3. 1, 2.

It is a faithfull saying; If any man desire the office of a Bishop, he coueteth a good worke. A Bishop therefore must be vnreprooueable, &c.

AT LONDON Imprinted by Felix Kyngston, and are to be sold in Paules Churchyard by Matthew Lownes. 1608.

REVERENDISSIMO IN CHRISTO PATRI AC DOMINO HONORATISSIMO, DOMINO RICHARDO PROVIDENTIA DIVINA ARCHIEPISCOPO CANTVARIENSI, TOTIVS ANGLIAE PRIMATI AC METROPOLITANO, SERENISSIMAE QVE REGIAE MAIESTATI A SANCTIORIBVS CONSILIIS, DOMINO SVO AC PATRONO COLENDISSIMO:

GEORGIVS DOVVNAME CONCIONEM HANC, QVA TVM MINISTERII DIGNITAS TVM MINISTRORVM foreign TRACTATVR IN PERPETVVM OBSERVANTIAE SVMMAE TESTIMONIVM L.M.D.D.

A SERMON OF THE DIGNITIE AND DVETIE OF THE MINISTERIE.

1. TIM. 3. 1. 2.

Faithfull is this saying: If a man desire the office of a Bishop, he coueteth a good, or goodly, worke. A Bishop therefore must be blamelesse, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of decent behauiour, giuen to hospitalitie, apt to teach, &c.

THe blessed Apostle S. Paul, hauing lefta1. Tim. 1. 3▪ Timothie as his substitute at Ephesus, and inuested him with Episcopal authoritie, (that is to say, with so much of the Apostolical power as was necessarily to continue in the Church, which besides the Ministerie of the word and Sacraments, common to all Ministers, consisteth specially in the power of Ordination, & Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction:) hee addresseth this and the other Epistle vntounto him, thereby informing him, andbChrysost. hom. 10. in 1. Tim. Oecumen in 1. Tim. 5. The Epistles to Timothie and Titus, are precedents for Bishops▪ and are as Tertullian saith, de ecclesiastico statu compositae. aduers. Marcion. lib. 5. in fine. in him all Bishops, how to c1. Tim. 3. 15.behaue himselfe in the house of God, which is his Church. And to this end he prescribeth Ecclesiasticall Canons, and Apostolicall Constitutions, not onelyonly concerning the exercise of his Episcopall iurisdiction and gouernment of the Church, but also touching the ordination of Ministers. For as in the fifth Chapter he chargeth himd1. Tim. 5. 22. not to lay his hands rashly vponupon any: soeChrysost. hom. 10. in 1. Tim. Non absque ratione Paulus huiusmodi monitis vtitur, quia Timoth… ipsi cura incumbebal Episcopos ordinandi, sicut & Tito. Conferre with this place, Tit. 1. 56 here he directeth him, what manner of persons he is to ordaine Ministers. Prouing from the weight and excellencie of the calling, that not eueryevery one that desireth this office, is to be preferred thereunto: but such a one as Elthu fIob. 33. 23.scarcely acknowledgeth to be one of a thousand, whō the Lord hath, with the excellent indowments of learning and pietie, adorned & made fit for so great and worthie a function. For mens calling must not goe before, but follow the calling of God. For their calling is but declaratiue, as the Schoolemen speake, whereas Gods calling is effectiue. And therefore men ought by their calling to declare none fit for the Ministerie, but such as God by his calling hath made fit. The office of a Bishop, saith Paul, is an excellent function, a glorious calling, a worthy worke: therefore he that would be preferred to this office, must be qualified accordingly: that is, for his life, he must be both in generall foreign, without blame, and in particular, chaste, as being the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of decent behauiour, harborous, &c. and for his gifts foreign, that is, as the Apostle speaketh in another g2. Tim. 2. 2. See also Tit. 1. 9.place foreign, apt or able to teach.

So that this text is an enthymeme, as we call it, the antecedent whereof setteth forth amplitudinem Ministerij, the dignitie of the Ministerie, or worthinesse of the calling: the consequent, aptitudinem Ministrorum, the worthinesse of the persons who are to be Ministers, inferred thereupon.

The Antecedent Paul confirmeth by his owne testimonie. For that asseueration foreign, it is a faithfull saying, hath (as othes also hauehave) the force of a testimonie: and in this place is vsed foreign, that is, by way of preuention. For as the othes, which the holy Ghost interposeth any where in the Scriptures, doe argue our infidelitie; so these asseuerations doe presuppose in vsus some contrarie and erroneous conceite. As if the Apostle had said: Although carnall men, whosehRom. 8. wisdome is enmitie against God, doe basely esteeme of Ministers in regard of their calling: yet it is a most certaine trueth, which by the spirit of trueth I doe testifie vntounto you, that the office of Ministers is an excellent and worthy calling, and that they are greatly honoured of God, whom he calleth thereunto. Indeede it is, and alwaies hath been, the lot and condition of Gods Ministers in this world, to be contemned, scorned and abused. The Prophets, who were the Embassadours of the great God, and Angels of the Lord of hosts, werei… Chron. 36. 16 despised and derided. The Apostles, who were the twelue Patriarches as it were of the Israel of God, and Embassadours sent from Christs side, to reconcile men vntounto God, were notwithstanding esteemed as thek1. Cor. 4. 13. Skumme of the world and of scouring of all things. But what speake I of seruants? was not Christ himselfe our royall Priest and Prophet, thelHebr. 3. 1. Apostle and high Priest of our profession, of his owne kindred esteemed as amMar. 3. 21. mad man, of his ill willers slaundered as anIoh. 8. 48. 52. Daemoniacke, of Herod and his gallants scorned and euen setoforeign. Luc. 23. 11. at naught?

Against this carnall conceite of profane men, the holy Ghost opposeth his verdict, when hee saith, this is a faithfull saying. Whereby we are taught, vnlesse we had rather conforme our iudgements to the vaine opinion of the wicked world, than to the infallible censure of the holy Ghost, to conceiue honourablie of the Ministers of God.

And this was the prosyllogisme or proofe of the Antecedent, taken from the testimonie of Gods spirit speaking in the Apostle, and prefixed as a preface, to win both attention and credit to this text.

Now followeth the antecedent it selfe. If a man desireth the office of a Bishop, he desireth a good, or excellent worke. In which words, besides the commendation of the Ministerie, which is the maine intendment thereof, two things are briefely to be discussed. The one, whether it bee lawfull for a man to desire the office of a Bishop: the other, what is the office of a Bishop, which the Apostle here doth so highly commend. Of the former the Apostle maketh no question, but taketh it for granted, that it is lawfull for a man to desire this function. For what (saithpHomil. 10. in 1. Tim. Chrysostome) doth the Apostle say? If a man desire the function of a Bishop, I mislike it not, hee desires a goodly worke. For first, when men consecrate themselues, as qNumb. 6. Amos 2. 11.Nazarits, to the studie of diuinitie, they doe it in this desire: which, if it bee a desire, as well to doe the worke of the Ministerie, as to obtaine the honour thereto belonging, is without doubt most acceptable vntounto God. And afterwards, when God hath blessed their studies, and fitted them for this function; this desire and willingnes to exercise their gifts, and to employ their talents, is a part of their calling from God. For God calleth men, partly inwardlie by himselfe, not onelyonly furnishing them with those gifts which appertaine to the sufficiency of a Minister, but also giuing thē this rRom 1. 15. 1. Pet. 5. 2.foreign, or willing readines to imploy their gifts: and partly outwardlie by his substitutes, to whom in his Church he hath committed the power of calling, ordaining and admitting Ministers. The Prophet Esay, sEsay 6. 6. ….when his tongue had been touched with a coale from the Altar, and hee had heard the voice of the Lord, saying, VVhom shall I send, he offereth himselfe and saith, Ecce me, Behold, here am I, send me. A desire therefore to glorifie God in the seruice of the Church, and a signification of this desire, when a man is fitted for the calling, is not onelie lawfull, but also commendable. The greedie and ambitious desire of them, who either are not willing, or not able to glorifie God in the Ministerie, is that which is to be condemned.

As touching the second, it will be obiected; that the calling of a Bishop, being a function of great authoritie and preeminence in the Church of God, is indeede an excellent and worthie worke; but what is this to other Ministers, who are subiect to the Bishops? I answere, by foreign, wee are in this place to vnderstand the office, and by foreign, the person, not onelie of such as euer since the Apostles times hauehave properly been called Bishops, (howsoeuer this place is principally to bee vnderstood of them, and so is expounded by diuerstChrysost. hom. 11. in 1. Tim. Ambr. in. 1. Tim. 3. Hieronvm. Theophyl. &c. of the Fathers:) but of all Pastors and Ministers of the word and Sacraments in generall. Which interpretation may be confirmed by conference of this Scripture with uTit. 1. 5, 6, 7.Tit. 1. where the same Canon being repeated, the Apostle vseth sometimes the word foreign, and sometimes foreign. From whence we may gather, either that by Bishop here the Apostle meaneth any presbyter, the names being as yet confounded, as Ierome and Theodoret suppose: or at the least, that the same things which here are spoken of the dutie and dignitie of Bishops, doe also appertaine to Presbyters in generall: which cause the other Fathers alleag…, why Presbyters be not expressely mentioned in this place. But howsoeuer the Fathers seeme to be diuided in the interpretation of the word Bishop, some of them by Bishop vnderstanding eueryevery Presbyter; others, those who properly are called Bishops: yet all agree in this, that both of Presbyters and Bishops, that is to say, of all Ministers in generall, this text is vnderstoode. ForxTheod…r. in. 1. Tim. 3. Etiamsi presbyteris has leges cōstituis diuinu… Apostolus, clarum est quòd eas op…rtet primos seruare Episcopos, vt qui maiorem sint dignitat… assecuti. Theodoret, though hee say, that by Bishop eueryevery Presbyter is here meant; yet he professeth that what is here said of Presbyters, doth chiefely appertaine to Bishops. And the other Fathers, though they vnderstand this text as spoken of them who properly are called Bishops; yet they say, that in the name of Bishops, Presbyters are also included. Here by the way we are to note, that if the names of Bishop and Presbyter in the writings of the Apostles bee confounded, as Ierome and Theodoret teach, and many in our times not onelyonly affirme, but also out ofyAct. 20. 17. 2… Tit. 1. 5, 6, 7. Phil. 1. 1. 1. Pet. 5. 1, 2. Acts 20. Tit. 1. Phil. 1. 1. Pet. 5. confirme, in so much as eueryevery Bishop is a Presbyter, so eueryevery Presbyter a Bishop, according to the Apostles phrase: then it followes necessarily, that in the Apostles writings, there are no Presbyters mentioned, but such as are Pastors and Ministers of the Word. And agreeable to the phrase of the Apostles, hath the perpetuall vse of this word been in the Primitiue Church: there being, as I suppose, not any one example to be alleaged out of any Councell or Father, where the word Presbyter doth signifie any other than a Minister or Priest. And if the like shall bee obiected against Bishops, that in the Apostles times there was no difference betwixt Presbyters and them: I answere, though the names of Bishop and Presbyter were for a short time confounded; yet the functions were not, as I hauehavezIn Apoc. 1. 20 elsewhere shewed.

But to come to that, which, as I said, is the maine intendment of these words: the commendation, which the Apostle giueth to the office of a Bishop, is, that it is foreign, a worthie worke. He calleth it a worke, that we should not imagine it to be an idle dignitie, which when wee hauehave once obtained, we might giuegive ouer our selues to ease and securitie; but a worke full of imployment and difficultie, wherein it behoueth Ministers (who are the Lords*Matth. 9. 38. workemen) to labour, and as the Apostle speaketha1. Tim. 5. 17. 1. Thess. 5. 12. foreign that is, to labour vntounto wearines. But neither is it a seruile worke, or a base Ministerie; but foreign, a goodly and excellent worke.

Two things therefore doe here offer themselues to our consideration, Onus & honos Ministerij: The burden and the honour of the Ministerie, both appertaining to the greatnesse of this calling, and both requiring, (which is the Apostles scope,) a correspondencie of gifts in the person of the Ministerie. For, in regard of both, we may iustly vse that exclamation,b2. Cor. 2. 16. foreign, and who is sufficiēt for these things? that is, who is able to beare this burden, who is worthie to hauehave this honour? For in that he calleth it a worke, that appertaineth to the burden▪ in that hee termeth it excellent, that belongeth to the honour. And these two are vnseparable companions. For, honos & onus: honour and charge goe together. Whence it is, that the same Hebrewcforeign word signifieth both honorare & onerare. For whom God aduanceth vntounto honour, them hee doth burden with a charge, and on whom hee imposeth a burden, to them he vouchsafeth honour. And as they bee vnseparable, so also proportionable. For such as is the weight of the burden, such is the height of the honour, and contrariwise. These things therefore which the holie Ghost hath vnseparablie vnited, ought not to be separated, neither by the Ministers themselues, nor yet by the people. Desirest thou the honour of the Ministerie, vt praesis, that thou maist be preferred aboue others? thou must also desire the worke of the Ministerie, vt prosis, that thou maist profit others. For he, that desireth the office of a Bishop, desireth an excellent worke. Art thou discouraged with the weight of the burden? so much let the height of the honour which God hath in this life awarded, and in the life to come prouided for faithfull Ministers, encourage thee. As for the people: many care not how great a burden they lay vponupon the Ministers, and how little honour they afford them: as though their charge among all callings could be the greatest, and their honour the least. In a word, let vsus on all hands so acknowledge the dutie and dignitie of the Ministerie to bee conioyned, that the Ministers be as readie to performe the dutie of the Ministerie, as to challenge the honour: And the people as willing to yeeld the double honour of reuerence and maintenance to their Minister, as from him to expect the performance of his dutie. For what things God hath conioyned, let no man seuer.

But how soeuer in vse these things may not be disioyned; yet, that I may distinctlie and orderly speake of them, I am for a while to seuer them in my speech▪ And first wee are to weigh the burden of the Ministery. For that are we to vndergoe, before we can iustlie claime the honour. d1. Tim. 5. 17.Double honour indeed belongeth to the Ministerie: of which, as the people must count their Ministers worthie, so must wee labour to be worthie. For foreign should go with foreign. And who are worthie of the honour of the Ministerie? Surely they, which beare, the burden, or doe the worke of the Ministerie. The worke of a Bishop, whereof the Apostle speaketh, is, as may bee gathered out of the words, foreign, to bee a good Superintendent, whereunto Peter e1. Pet. 5. 2.exhorteth: 1. Epist. 5. Now what that is, the Apostle sheweth, Act. 20. where hee exhorteth the Ministers of Ephesus,fAct. 20. 28. that they would attend vntounto themselues and to the whole flocke, ouer which the holy Ghost had made them Superintendents, to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood. The same he repeateth, though in other words, 1. Tim. 5.g1. Tim. 5. 17. Ministers are to be accounted worthie of double honour. But who? foreign, that are good presidents, especially they that labour in the word and doctrine. For to feed the flocke, is the chiefe worke of the Pastor or Bishop, as appeareth in all these three places. Feede the flocke, saith Peter to the Ministers, foreign, performing the Office of Bishops or Superintendents, not as of necessitie, but as willingly, &c. But to speake more distinctly, the worke of a Bishop or Pastor, which, as I said, is foreign, to be good Presidents, or Superintendents, cōtaineth these branches. The first is, that they attend to themselues▪ the second, to their flocke. To themselues, that they may be precedents, and as the holie Ghost speakethh1. Pet. 5. 3. Tit. 2. 7. foreign, paternes and samplers of a godly life. For this in the Apostles phrase isiTit. 3. 8. 14. foreign, to be presidents of good workes. But of this more, when I come to the worthinesse of the person: vers. 2. To the flocke also they must attend, feeding and ouerseeing the same bothk1. Pet. 5. 2. willinglie andiHeb. 13. 17. carefully, as those who are to giuegive an account. For whom in the new Testament, the holie Ghost, calleth foreign, Superintendents, in the old he callethmTsophim. speculatores, watchmen▪ whose office is the custodie and gardianship, not of mens bodies, but, that which isnArs est artium, regimen animarum. Gregor. pastoral. part. 1. c. 1. more, of their soules; for which they are to watch, as they who are to giuegive an account. In so much, that if any of their flocke shall perish through their default; they shall perish indeed in their sinnes, but their blood will the Lord require at the oEzec. 3. 17. 33. 8.watchmens hands. And this doth the Apostle Paul insinuate in his farwel Sermon, where in the conscience of his Ministerie faithfully performed, he professethpAct. 20. 26. that he was free from the blood of them all. By which word, saith Gregorie, qHomil. 11. in Ezech.we are conuicted who are called Priests, who besides those euils which we hauehave of our owne, doe ad the deaths of other men. For so many doe we kill, as wee doe suffer through our negligence and silence to perish. Now wee are to attend the flocke, first, by watching ouer the same as good shepheards, accomodating our selues to their seuerall estates and necessities. As namely, r2. Tim. 3. 16. Ezech. 34. 4. 1. Thess. 5. 14.to instruct the ignorant, to reduce the erroneous, to heale the diseased, to seek the lost, to admonish the disorderlie, to comfort the distressed, to support the weake, to be patient towards all. Secondlie, bys1. Pet. 5. 2. feeding them in the Ministerie of the word and Sacraments, and lastly byr1. Sam. 12. 23 praying for them both publicklie and priuately.

This burden of the Ministery, was after a sort prefigured by the burden of the Arke, which was imposeduDeut. 31. 9. on the Priests. For in the ArkexHebr. 9. 4, 5. was the golden pot hauing Manna, and Aarons fruitfull rod, and the tables of the Couenant; and vponupon it the propitiatorie ouershadowed with the glorious Cherubins. For by the pot of Manna, we may vnderstand the Sacraments; by the rod, Ecclesiasticall discipline; by the budding and fruitfulnesseyNumb. 17. 8. of it, their fruitfull conuersation; by the tables, the preaching of the law; and by bearing the propitiatorie (figuring Christ,) the Ministerie of reconciliation committed vntounto the Ministers of God, both in respect of prayer and also of preaching.

But the principall burden and chiefe worke of the Ministery, for which double honour isz1. Tim. 5. 17. especially due to Ministers, is the preaching, that is, the expounding and applying of the word, to the diuers vses of a2. Tim. 3. 16.doctrine, confutation, instruction and reproofe. To theb2. Tim. 4. 1, 2. diligent performance whereof, in thec1. Cor. 2. 4. demonstration of the spirit, ind2. Cor. 4. 2. and 2. 17. sinceritie as in the sight of God, ineMatth. 24. 45 discretion andf1. Cor. 4. 2. faithfulnesse, as it becommeth the wise and faithfull steward of God, withgTit. 2. 7. grauitie, hMic. 3. 8.iudgement, iEphes. 6. 19. 20 Ierem. 1. 8. 17. Ezec. 3. 8, 9.boldnes and power, and finally with zeale of GodskIohn 7. 18. Mal. 2. 2. glory andl2. Cor. 11. 2. Gal. 4. 19. saluation of the hearer: the Minister is bound with a double bond of necessitie, the one, in regard of himselfe; the other, in respect of the people. In regard of our selues, euerie one of vsus must say with the Apostle, m1. Cor. 9. 16.Necessitie is laid vponupon me, and woe vntounto me if I preach not the Gospell. For if they bee subiect to the curse; who withhold the corne: what is to be expected of them, who withdraw from the people of God, the diuine food of their soules? Assuredly both are accursed: they,nProu. 11. 26. of the people: these, of God:oEzech. 34. 2. woe to those Pastors, qui non pascunt, sed depascunt gregem, who feed not the flocke, but feede vponupon it. And againe,p…ac. 11. 17. Vae Pastori nihili, VVoe to the idle shepheard that forsaketh the flocke: the sword shall be vponupon his arme, and vponupon his right eie, (whereby is meant his power and iudgement.) His arme shall be dried vp, and his eie shall be vtterly darkned.

In regard of the people, the Ministerie of the word is so necessarie, that our Sauiour saithqLuk. 10. 42. there is necessitie of this one thing. And Salomon, rProu. 29. 18.that where this is wanting, the people perish. But the necessitie of preaching in respect of the people, appertaineth to the dignitie of the Ministerie, whereof I am now to speake.

And first of the office it selfe, and then of those titles, wherewith Ministers are adorned in the word of God. Of the office I am to speake, first, absolutely; then, by way of comparison. Absolutely it is affirmed in this place, to bee an excellent, or worthie worke. AndsHeb. 5. 4. Heb. 5. an honour: and elsewhere we are taught, that for this workes sake, the Ministers aret1. Thess. 5. 12. foreign. exceedinglie to be loued, and reuerenced, and for the dignitie of their function to beuPhil. 2. 29. had in honor. Yea that the veryxEsay 52. 7. Rom. 10. 15. feete of those which preach the Gospell ought to seem beautiful vntounto vsus. And the same may be confirmed, by consideration of the institution of the Ministery; the eminencie of the persons who hauehave exercised this function; the excellencie of the end for which it was ordained; and lastlie, the dignitie of the parts, whereof it doth consist.

First, therefore Ministers were ordained to supplie the office, and sustaine the person of the Sonne of God, who is the Word and wisdome of his father. For from the beginning of the world vntill the time of Moses, the Lord for the most part in his owne person, performed the office of preaching to his people. In which respect hee is often called in the bookes of Moses, theyGen. 22. 11. 12 Exod. 3. 2. 4. 6. Gen. 32. 28. 30 & Hos. 12. 3. Exod. 13. 20, 21 & 1 Cor. 10. 9. Malac. 3. 1. Angell of God, and elsewhere the Angell of the couenant. But when the Lord in terrible maner had published his law from heauen, and the people, not being able to endure his voice, had humbly intreated him, that he would be pleased to speake vntounto them by a Prophet: vponupon this occasion, the Lord ordained the publicke Ministerie, andzDeut. 18. 18. promised a continuall succession of Prophets, (into whose mouth he would put his words,) which was to continue vntill Christ, in whom especially that prophecie was verified. And againe, when Christ was to ascend into heauen, hee ordained the Ministers of the Gospell, as the Embassadours of God, in his stead: affirming, aIohn 20. 21.that as his father had sent him, so he did send them. For we (saith the Apostle) b2. Cor. 5. 20.are the Embassadours of God in Christs stead, euen as though God did intreate you by vsus, wee beseech you in Christs stead, be reconciled vntounto God. The Ministers therefore were ordained to supplie the roome of Christ. Which the Lord did, not that hee would hauehave the Ministerie of the word lesse esteemed, then if he should speake from heauen himselfe; but that hee might by this meanes teach vsus after a more familiar manner, and might make the better triall of our obedience. For as Iohn saith,c1. Iohn 4. 6. Hee that knoweth God, heareth vsus; and who is not of God, heareth vsus not. Our dutie therefore is, when God doth speake vntounto vsus by his Ministers, to set our selues, with Cornelius dAct. 10. 33.and his company, in the presence of God; and to hearee1. Thess. 2. 13. foreign, The word preached, not as the word of man, but as it is indeede the word of God: and to receiue the Ministers of God, as the GalathiansfGal. 4. 14. entertained Paul, as the Embassadours of Christ, as the Angels of God, yea, as Christ himselfe. For so hath he saidgLuk. 10. 16. to his Ministers, Hee that heareth you, heareth mee; and hee that despiseth you, despiseth me.

But let vsus also consider the excellencie of those persons, who hauehave in former times exercised any part of this function. And here I could commend vntounto you Noah, the prince of the world, andh2. Pet. 2. 5. Preacher of righteousnesse: Melchisedec, who was bothiHebr. 7. 1. Gen. 14. 18. a King and a Priest: Moses the Prophet and Prince of Israel: Dauid a King and a Prophet: Salomon that glorious King, affecting the name of akEcclesiast. Preacher. I might alleage that the Kings among the heathen, were also Priests. For hence it was, that the Athenians and the Romanes, after they had expelled their tyrannizing Kings, did ordaine to themselues, Reges sacrificos, sacrificing Kings, because certaine sacrifices among them, might not be offered but by Kings. But what speake I of meere men? The sonne of God, before his incarnation, as you heard before, was the Angell and messenger of God vntounto his people: and after he became flesh, he professed, thatiLuk. 4. 18. 43. he was sent to preach. And who knoweth not, that he being truely and onelyonly foreign, as hee is our King, so also our Prophet, and our Priest? And that, which yet more setteth forth the excellencie of the Ministery; Christ, who, as he was God, thought it no robbery to be equall with God: yet as hee was also man, he would not take vponupon him thismHeb. 5. 4, 5. honour to be our Priest, vnlesse hee had been called thereto of God, as Aaron was. Whereas therefore I said, that certaine Princes hauehave been Prophets: you may well thinke, that this is no greater credit to the Ministerie, that Kings hauehave prophecied; than it was commendation to the Kings themselues, that they were Prophets. And howsoeuer sometimes they hauehave been graced with that part of the Ministerie, (for euenn1 Sam. 10. 11. 19 24. Saul sometimes was among the Prophets:) yet might they not intrude vponupon the other functions of the Priesthood. And therefore Saul, the King of Israel, for thrusting himselfe into the office of the Priest, o1. Sam. 13. 9. 13. 14.was himselfe thrust out of his kingdome. Likewise, when Huzziah the King of Iuda, p2. Chron. 26. 16. 19.presuming (his heart being lift vp with pride,) to offer incense vponupon the altar, which was a function peculiar to the Priests, the sonnes of Aaron; the Lord, not onelyonly caused a fearefullqAmos 1. 1. Zac. 14. 5. Ioseph. Antiq. Iud. lib. 9. c. 11. earthquake, to testifie his displeasure: but also presently smote him with a Leprosie, and sequestred him from his regall function. ForrHebr. 5. 4. no man, whatsoeuer he be, may take vponupon him this honour, but he that is called thereunto of God, as Aaron was.

I come to the end of the Ministerie; which is, to saue mens soules. Other professions respect the good of this life; as the Magistracie, the maintenance of peace and good order among the subiects; the art of the Physition, the health of his Patient; the profession of the Lawyer, the wealth of his Client. But the end of the Ministerie alone, is the saluation of Soules. For although Christ hath performed so much as is sufficient, for the saluation of all: yet none are actually saued, but they onelyonly, to whom the benefit of the Messias is communicated. Now the merits of Christ are applied ordinarilie by the Ministerie of the Word and Sacraments: vntounto which, for that cause, the power of Saluation is ascribed. They therefore who enioy the Ministerie of the Word and Sacraments, let them acknowledge themselues infinitely bound vntounto the Lord; who hath visited them with the fauour of his people, and vouchsafed vntounto them the peculiar priuiledge of his visible Church; in that he hath not onelyonly sent his Sonne to redeeme them, but also giuen them those meanes, whereby the benefit of Redemption may be applied vntounto them.

There remaine the parts of the Ministerie; which are two: the Leiturgie or publike seruice of God in the Congregation, and the regiment of the Church. The Leiturgie hath three parts; the Preaching of the Word, publike Prayer, and administration of the Sacraments. In the Preaching of the word, as the duetie of the Ministerie, so also the dignitie doth principally consist: this being the chiefe workesEphes. 4. 12. of the Ministerie, for whicht1. Tim. 5. 17. double honour is especially due vntounto the Ministers: yea, the u1. Cor. 16. 10.worke of the Lord, in respect where of the Ministers foreign, as thexRom. 15. 16. Apostle speaketh, that is, performing the sacred function of preaching the Gospell, are called, y1. Cor. 3. 9.foreign, the co-workers of God. But the worthinesse of this worke may easily appeare, if we consider the excellencie, profit, and necessitie thereof. For what greater honour can be vouchsafed to a mortall and sinfull man, then to be thezIob 33. 23. Angell orz2. Cor. 5. 18. 20 Embassadour of God in stead of Christ; appointed and sent of God,a2. Cor. 5. 18. 20 to reconcile men vntounto himselfe, to iustifie them, and to saue them? And hereby also appeareth the exceeding profit and necessitie of the Ministery of the word. The profit, in that by the preaching of the worde, men are brought to saluation, and all the degrees thereof. The necessitie, in that without it ordinarily men cannot attaine to saluation, no nor yet to any degree of saluation. For whereas there are three degrees of saluation in this life, our vocation, our iustification, our sanctification: what one of these is not effected by the Ministery of the word, and what one of them is effected ordinarilie without it? For whom GodbRom. 8. 30. hath elected, them doth he call; neither shall any be saued (I speake of such as come to yeeres of discretion,) but such as are, or shall be called. Hence it is, that the Church, which is the companie of the elect, is called foreign, a companie of men called. Now men are called by the Ministerie of thec2. Thess. 2. 14. Gospell, seconded and made powerfull by the Spirit of God. For first, by it, our minds are enlightneddLuk. 1. 79. Act. 26. 18. to see our owne miserie in our selues, and the infinit mercies of God in the mysterie of saluation by Christ. Secondlie, by it, as by theeEsay 53. 1. Act. 26. 18. arme of God, men are drawne vntounto him, that they may turne vntounto God, and beleeue in Christ. Neither is there any meanes in the world, so effectuall to worke the conuersion of a sinner, or to bring him vntounto faith in Christ, as the Ministerie of the word: by which if a man will not be perswaded, neither will hee beleeue, though an Angell should come from heauen, or afLuk. 16. 31. man be raised from the dead. For indeed the Ministerie of the Gospell, is thegRom. 1. 16. power of God to our saluation. And although in the world it be contemned, as a weake and foolish meanes: yet it is the good h1. Cor. 1. 21.pleasure of God, by the foolishnes of preaching, to saue those that beleeue.

Againe,iRom. 8. 30. whom God calleth, them hee iustifieth, acquitting them from their sins, and accepting them in Christ, as righteous, and as heires of eternall life. But men are iustified by faith: and faith kRom. 10. 17.commeth by hearing the word of God. For as the Apostle reasoneth, iRom. 10. 14.How shall they call on him, in whom they hauehave not beleeued; and how shall they beleeue in him, of whom they hauehave not heard; and how shall they heare without a preacher? For this cause, Preachers are said to bem1. Cor. 3. 5. Ministers, by whom we beleeue, and being Ministers of faith, whereby men are iustified, they are also saidnDan. 12. 3. to iustifie men.

Moreouer, whom the Lord doth iustifie by faith, them also hee doth sanctifie by the Spirit of regeneration. Foro2. Cor. 5. 17. whosoeuer is in Christ, hee is a new creature. Neither can any man truely hope to enter intopIohn 3. 3. the kingdome of heauen, vnlesse he be borne againe. But how should men be borne againe? by q1. Pet. 1. 23.the immortall seede, saith Peter, which is the word of the liuing God: by which Preachers doe beget men vntounto God. And in that respect are called spirituall fathers, fathers in the faith; because, as Paul speaketh to the r1. Cor. 4. 15.Corinthians, they beget them by the Gospell of Iesus Christ. And forasmuch as wee are nourished, as the Philosopher saith, by that from which we are ingendred: the word therefore, as it is the seed of our spirituall generation, so is it the food of our soules, whereby wee are to bee nourished, and to grow vp in grace: affording, boths1. Pet. 2. 1. milke for the new borne, andtHeb. 5. 12, 13, 14. strong meate for those who are better growne in Christ. And therefore, as the Ministers be fathers to beget men; so are they alsouEphes. 4. 11. Pastors, to feed them. And whereas sanctification consisteth of two parts, a dying vntounto sinne, and a liuing vntounto righteousnesse: the Ministerie of the word, is as salt to mortifie our corruptions. In which respect the Ministers are called thexMatth. 5. 13. salt of the earth. And in respect of righteousnesse habituall, it is the yRom. 10. 8.word of faith, thez2 Cor. 3. 8. Ministerie of the Spirit, theaAct. 20. 32. word of grace, bybIohn 7. 17. which wee are sanctified. And as for actuall righteousnes, it is thecColoss. 1. 6. fruit of the word preached, which being sowne in the furrowes of good and honest hearts,dLuk. 8. 15. bringeth forth fruit with patience.

If therefore our vocation, iustification and sanctification, which are al the degrees of saluation going betweene election and glorification, bee all of them wrought by the Ministerie of the word: we must acknowledge it, worthily to bee called the power of God to our saluation, and not without good cause the power of sauing mens soules to bee ascribed vntounto it, and to the preachers of it, as to the meanes and instruments vnderunder God. Receiue with meeknes, saith S. Iames, eIam. 1. 21.foreign, the word engrafted, (to wit, by the Preachers who are Godsf1. Cor. 3. 6, 7, 8 planters: 1. Cor. 3.) VVhichWhich (saith he) is able to saue your soules. Attend to thy selfe (saith Paul tog1. Tim. 4. 16. Timothie) and to doctrine, continue therein; for this doing, thou shalt saue both thy selfe, and them that heare thee. But to conclude this point with the oracle of our Sauiour Christ, sounding in the eares of S. Paul at his conuersion, from heauen: at which time he appearing vntounto Paul, to make him as he there saith,hActs 26. 16. a Minister of the Gospell, setteth downe the end of the Ministerie in these words, which containe the summe of all that hath been said concerning the preaching of the word. To open (saithiAct. 26. 18. he) their eies, that they may bee turned from darkenesse vntounto light, and from the power of Satan vntounto God, (there is vocation) that by faith in Christ, (for so I construe the words, there being a comma in the Greeke text after foreign) they may receiue forgiuenesse of sins, (that is iustification) and inheritance among them that are sanctified: there is sanctification, and glorification; and all to be procured by the Ministerie of the word.

Here therefore by the way diuers sorts of men are to bee admonished. First, the Ministers: that as they desire the saluation of their people, whom Christ hath redeemed with his most pretious bloud, they would not onlie bee diligent in preaching, but also bee carefull so to preach, as that their conscience may beare them witnesse, that in their Ministerie they truely seeke to glorifie God, in the saluation of the people. Secondly, the people; that as they tender the eternal saluation of their soules, so they should be affected to the Ministerie of the word. For thekMatth. 13. 44, 45. kingdome of heauen (so is the preaching of the Gospell called, because it is the principall meanes to bring vsus to Gods Kingdome) is like a treasure, or a pretious pearle, which a man hauing found, he will sell all that he hath to procure it. Thirdly, they that doe hinder the preaching of the word: for seeing the word preached is of such necessitie to saluation, they which are an hinderance to the preaching of the word, doe also hinder the saluation of their brethren, which eueryevery Christian is bound by all good meanes to aduance. Of this kind are they, who being not of the Ministerie doe get into their hands the liuings and possessions of the Church. For where is want of liuing, there will be want of Preachers: where Preachers or Prophets are wanting, there prophesie, or preaching faileth: and where lProu 29. 18.prophesie faileth, there the people perish. The people indeede shall perish in their sinnes: but their bloud shall be required at thy hands, who hast been the cause of their spirituall famishment.

Such also are those greedie Patrons, or rather latrons of Church liuings, who with Gehezi, sell such things as none but Simons will buy: who with the theefe, & traitor Iudas betray for quid mihi dabitis, the bodie of Christ, which is his Church, into the hand of blind and Pharisaicall guides: who with m1. King. 12. 3…. 1. King. 13. 33.Ieroboam the son of Nebat, preferre to the Ministerie, the skirts, or, as the Prophet calleth such, thenEsay 9. 15. taile of the people. But these men as they imitate the practise of Gehezi, Iudas and Ieroboam: so let them feare their end.

And lastly, such are those Ministers, who hauing either no will, or no skill to feede the people of God with the food of life; doe notwithstanding for the milke and fleece of the flocke take vponupon them the charge of soules. But let these and the former consider, that wheras they ought to be resolued, not to hazard, or lose their owne soules, though they might*Mark. 8. 36. gaine the whole world: they to gaine, not the whole world, but the tithes of some one parish (which are as nothing in comparision of the world) doe hazard not their own soules alone, but the soules of the people, whom they depriue of the principall ordinarie meanes of their saluation.

But to returne to my purpose: hauehave you by your own experience found the Ministers to hauehave been the meanes vnderunder God of your vocation, iustification, sanctification, which are the necessarie forerunners of saluation? then, I dare say, you will confesse that to be true, which Paul writing to Philemon, forbeareth to speake: that you owe euen your owneoPhil. 17. selues vntounto them: and that you ought to be affected to them, as the Galathians were to S. Paul, who giueth this testimonie of them, that they were readie (if it had been possible) topGal. 4. 15. pul out their owne eies to doe him good. But if you be more readie to pull out their eies, then to doe them any good; it is a manifest argument, that as yet you are not sanctified, not iustified, not called; and therefore not to be saued, vnlesse these graces shall hereafter be wrought in you by the Ministerie of the word. Which benefits if you doe but looke for at the Ministers hands, you cannot but honour and reuerence them in the meane time. But if you neither hauehave these graces, nor hope for any, wee must count our selues blessed, when for our calling and the discharge of our dutie, we are of such persons hated and reuiled.

Thus much I thought good to speake of preaching the word. Now are wee brieflie to intreate of inuocation, and so of the rest. For as in the preaching of the word, the Minister is the Lords Embassadour to his people: so in publicke prayer he is an orator, and as it were an intercessour for the people vntounto God. In which respect, Chrysostome qDe Sacerdot. lib. 6. cap. 4.saith, that the Minister performeth an embassage vntounto God, not only for his owne people, but also for the whole world, as if he were an vniuersall father hauing care of all. And Nazianzene rApolog.acknowledgeth it to be no small honour, to bee preferred before others in neerenesse vntounto God, and to receiue foreign: a presidentship of soules, and a mediation betweene God and men: By which they stand, as Moses sPsal. 106. 23.once did, in the breach: and for which, as the Prophets were wont, so may godlie Ministers now, bee worthilie called the t2. King. 2. 12. & cap. 13. 14.horsemen and chariots of Israel.

I come to the Sacraments: whereof the Ministers also are dispensers. For as in respect of the word, which is as it were Gods treasurie, the Ministers are his treasurers: so in respect of the Sacraments, which are the seales of God, theuRom. 4. 1…. seales of that righteousnesse which is by faith, they are the keepers of the Lords seales, whereby the people of God are assured, not of an earthlie patrimonie, but of an eternall kingdome in heauen. If therefore it be a great honour (as it is indeede) to be the Lord keeper of the Kings seale, which notwithstanding hath vse but in temporall affaires: what shall we thinke of their function, who are the keepers of the heauenlie Kings seales: which also serue for the confirmation of spirituall blessings in heauenlie things?

Hauing spoken of the leiturgie, wee are now to intreate of the regiment of the Church. For to the Ministers the Church, which is the spouse of Christ, is committed: that hauing espoused her against the marriage day, which is the day of iudgement, they may present herx2. Cor. 11. 2. vntounto Christ the bridegroome, as a pure virgin and vndefiled. In which senseyApolog. Nazianzene calleth the Minister, foreign, and zDe Sacerdot. lib. 3. cap. 6.Chrysostome thus describeth him, foreign, He whose office it is to adorne the spouse of Christ. And forasmuch as the Church in the Scriptures is also called the house of God: therefore the Ministers, who are set ouer the Church, are called aTit. 1. 7. Luk. 12. 42.foreign, that is, stewards of God set ouer his houshold. And whereas the authoritie of a steward is signified by thebEsay 22. 22. keyes committed vntounto him: our Sauiour Christ therfore, to his stewards hath commited keies, cMatth. 16. 19The keies of the kingdome of heauen, that both by preaching the Gospell, and by Ecclesiasticall discipline, they might open to some the gates of heauen, and shut them to others: that to them which beleeue and repent, they might pronounce the sentence of absolution, and might denounce damnation against the vnfaithfull and impenitent: that they might loose the one, and bind the other. Which their authoritie he hath ratified with most gratious promises, assuring them on his word, which is infallible, thatdIohn 20. 23. whose sinnes they remit, they shall be remitted, and whose sinnes they retaine, they shall be retained. And againe,eMatth. 18. 18 VVhat soeuer they bind on earth, it shall be bound in heauen; and whatsoeuer they loose on earth, it shall be loosed in heauen. Wherefore, as by the worke of their Ministerie, men being therby conuerted, the will of God is done, as in heauen, so also vponupon earth, according to our dailyfMatth. 6. 10. prayer: so by the authoritie committed vntounto them, it is done, as in the earth, so also in heauen. Then which, what authoritie is more glorious vponupon the earth? the Magistrates indeede, hauing the keyes of an earthly kingdome, hauehave also power to loose and to bind the bodies of their subiects, and to commit the same to a Iaylour or executioner. But the Ministers, hauing the keyes of the kingdome of heauen, hauehave power to binde and loose the soules of men, and to deliuer the obstinate to Satan: and what they doe vponupon earth, is ratified in heauen. And this is that, whichgAd Heliodorum de vit… … remitica. Ierome saith, the Ministers hauing the keies of the kingdome of heauen, doe iudge after a sort before the day of iudgement.

Hitherto the dignitie of the Ministerie hath been absolutely declared, and without comparison. But if into the ballance of comparison we shall put the Ministers and other men, I had almost in some respects added the Angels, we shall finde that to be true, whichhDe dignitate sacerd. cap. 2. Honor & sublimitas Episcopalis null…s potest comparationibus ad… quari. Ambrose hath auerred: that the dignitie of Bishops can scarsely be matched with any comparisons. Wee will therefore compare Ministers with other men: first, as they are men; secondly, as they are Christians: thirdly, as they are honorable.

Men by nature, are the children iEphes. 2. 3.of wrath, and enemies of God; the Ministers arek2. Cor. 5, 18. 20 Embassadours sent from God to reconcile them vntounto him. Men naturallie sit in darkenesse, and in the shadow of death, knowing no more of God then serues to leaue them without excuse: the Ministers are thelMatth. 5. 14. light of the world, who are sent of God tomLuk. 1. 79. enlighten them, to open nAct. 26. 18.their eies, to bring them out of darkenesse into light, and to guide their feete into the way of peace. Men narurally are such, asoEzech. 16. 14 Ezechiel describeth, wallowing in their owne pollutions, not washed with water, nor seasoned with salt: The Ministers are thepMatth. 5. 13. salt of the earth, ordained of God to season men, and toqIohn▪ 17. 17. sanctifie them with the word of truth, & to wash them with the lauour of regeneration. Men naturally arerEphes. 2. 1. dead in sinne, neither can they liue vntounto God, vnlesse they bee borne againe: Ministers are spirituall fathers, who by preaching the Gospell s1. Cor. 4. 15.beget men vntounto God. Men naturally are without faith, voide of the spirit, destitute of grace: Preachers aret1. Cor. 3. 5. Ministers by whom they beleeue: Ministers of theu2. Cor. 3. 6. 9. Spirit, Ministers of grace. Men naturalli… being the bondslaues of sinne, and captiues of Satan, are by him as thexLuk. 8. 33. Gergesins swine caried headlong into mare mortuum, the dead sea of perdition: the Ministers are by Obadiah yObad. 21.called sauiors, and by Christ himselfe,zLuk. 5. 10. the fishers of men, foreign, catching with theaMatth. 13. 47 net of the wordb2. Tim. 2. 26. foreign, those, who were caught of the diuell; bringing them out of thecAct. 16. 18. power of Satan into Gods kingdom; out of the slauerie of sinne, into the glorious libertie of Gods children; out of the state of damnatiō, as it were the vniuersall deluge, into the state of grace and saluation, as it were into the Arke of Noah. You see then how the comparison stands betweene Ministers and other men.

Let vsus therefore compare them with others, as they bee Christians, and such as shall be saued by Christ. Other Christians are but the sheepe dIoh. 10.of Christ: Ministers are alsoeEphes. 4. 11. Pastors or shepheards, to whom Christ the chiefe Pastor hath committed his sheepe to bee guided andfIoh. 21. 15. 16 17. fed.1. Pet. 1. 2. Act. 20. 28. Other Christians are but thegCant. 4. 12. plants in the Lords garden: Ministers are also the Lords gardiners, appointed of God toh1. Cor. 3. 6. 7 8. plant, and to water them. Other Christians are but liuing i1 Pet. 2 5.stones in the Temple of God, which is his Church: Ministers are also Godsk1. Cor. 3 9. builders, ordained of Christ,lEphes. 4. 12. foreign, for the edifying o… his body, which is his Church. Others finally are but the familie, and as it were the house hold seruants of Christ: the Ministers are the stewards, mTitus 1. 7. Matth. 24. 45. Luk. 12. 42.whom the Lord hath set ouer his familie, to giuegive to eueryevery one, which be of the houshold of faith, their foreign, portion of food in due season.

Out of these two comparisons it doth euidently appeare, that no man, whatsoeuer he be, whether a true Christian, or but a naturall man, hath iust cause to despise the ministers of God. For in that the true Chistian hath attained to grace, hee hath obtained it by the helpe of the Ministerie, whereby he was reconciled vntounto God, enlightned with the truth, begotten vntounto God, &c. And the naturall man, who wanteth grace, is also to receiue it ordinarilie by the helpe of the Minister, if euer he hauehave it. And therefore those, who vilifie and contemne the Ministers of God in respect of their calling, doe manifestlie bewraie themselues to bee vile and contemptible persons, who neither hauehave any grace, nor yet desire any.

But now let vsus compare the Ministers with other men, as they are honourable; and first, with all iointlie, and together▪ For if we will make a comparison of all honors in generall; we must also take a view both of their burthen in this life, and reward in the life to come. For the first, I hauehave shewed before, not only that honos and onus do alwaies goe together; but also that according to the weight of the burthen, such is the height of the honour. Now eueryevery man is readie to lay loade vponupon the Ministers, and amongst all callings to attribute the greatest burden and charge vntounto them: by which reason, they must be faine to ascribe vntounto them the greatest honour. For they are Pastors, not of mens bodies, as Magistrates are, but of their soules; and they beare all mens burthens, as Chrysostome saith, & they watch for other mens soules; insomuch that if any perish through their negligence, the blood of those which doe perish, shall beenEzech. 33. 8. required at their hands. How weightie this burthen is, it will easilie appeare if we shal consider how heauy eueryevery priuate mans owneoGal. 6. 5. burden will bee to beare in the day of the Lord. For the Ministers own burthē may seeme to be heauier then others. First, because the Lord requireth greater matters in them, then in others. Secondlie, because the same sinnes, which in other men are lesse offences, in them are esteemed greater faults. Simple fornication, which in others was after a sort salued by marriage, in thepLeuit. 21. …. Priests daughter, was punished with death. Thirdlie, because the PriestqLeuit. 4. 3. 13. was to offer as great a sacrifice for his own sins, as for the sins of the whole people. But the Minister must not onelyonly beare his owne burthen, but as vponupon Aaron rExod. 28 29.the names of the twelue Tribes were imposed; so the Ministers are to beare the charge of their flocke; and of that flocke, which Christ hath redeemedsAct. 20. 28. with his blood, and therefore was more deere and pretious to him, then his owne most pretious blood. But what vse are wee to make of this? shall wee therefore depresse the Ministers by contempt, whom wee oppresse with our burthens? nay rather as we presse them downe with our burthen, so let vsus exalt them with honour. It is the exhortation of the holy Ghost: Heb. 13.tHeb. 13. 17. Obey them that hauehave the ouersight of you, and submit your selues vntounto them, for they watch for your soules, as they that must giuegive an account, that they may doe it with ioy, and not with griefe, for that is vnprofitable for you.

But as the Ministers charge is greater then others in this life; so hauing discharged his dutie, hee shall hauehave a greater weight of glorie in the life to come. For that wise and faithfull steward mentioned, Matth. 24,uMa…. 24 45. shall not only receiue blessednesse for his reward, or that incorruptible crowne of glorie, which the holie Ghost hath promised vntounto them: but also hauing sauedx1. Tim. 4. 16. both himselfe, and those that heare him, of whom hee may say in the day of iudgement, Behold, here I am and the children which the Lord hath giuen me (for whom the Minister begetteth through his Gospel vntounto God, they shall be, asy2. Cor. 1. 14. Paul saith, his reioycing in the day of the Lord) hee shall be preferred aboue others in happinesse. For good Ministers, as they hauehave been zApocal. 1. 20starres in the Church militant to enlighten others with the truth: so in the Church triumphant they shall shineaDan. …2. 3. as starres in the firmament for euer and euer. And this is that, which in the place before cited, the Lord promiseth to the wise and faithfull steward: that he will make himbMat. 24. 47. ruler ouer all his goods. VponUpon which wordes, an ancient and learnedcAuthor imperfect. operis apud Chrysostin Matth. 24. expositour writeth to this effect; The greatest amongst all is the Priestly dignitie, if a man keepe it without blemish. For if the Lord aboue all his workes, esteeme the soules of men most precious, (for them hee hath redeemed with his owne bloud) it is not to be meruailed, if he set him ouer all, who brings vntounto him the gaine of soules.

Now are wee to compare the Ministers with those peculiar sorts of men, to whom the Lord hath vouchsafed honour. And these are either priuate in the familie, or publicke out of the family in the Church, and commonwealth. Those that are to be honoured in the family, are our parents: to whom great honour is due by Gods commandement, but not so great as to the Ministers. For, from thy parents as the instruments of God, thou hast thy generation: from the Ministers, as the instruments of the holy Ghost, thy regeneration: by thy parents thou art a man, by the Ministers a Christian thy parents by mortal seed begat thee vntounto this world, the Minister, by immortall seed begetteth thee vntounto the world to come: by thy parents is sin and corruption deriued to thee from the first Adam; by the Ministers, iustification and freedom from sinne is communicated vntounto thee from the second Adam. Finally, thy naturall parents are fathers in the flesh; but the Ministers are fathers in the Spirit. Both then, as you see, are parents: but the spirituall fathers are, as Chrysostome saith,dDe sacerdot. lib. 3. cap. 5. foreign, more honourable then fathers. And so great is the difference, eCap. 6. foreign.saith he, of them both, as of the life present, and the life to come; for these beget thee into this life, they into the other. Wherefore, leauing our naturall parents, we will compare them with another sort of spirituall fathers, which is now ceased: I meane the Leuiticall Priests; and chiefelie, the high Priest, whose dignitie appeared, both in his office, and in his attire. For his office, hee was, as it were, a mediator betwixt God and man; and therein, because he represented the Messias, he was superiour, not onelyonly to other men, but to the Angels themselues. And his attire, which the LordfExod. 18. & 39. appointed vntounto him, was answerable thereunto, signifying a …rson, excelling the condition of other men. Insomuch that as historiesgIoseph. Antiquit. Iud. lib. 11. cap. 8. doe record, Alexander the great, comming with his armie against Ierusalem, when the high Priest did meete him araied with his sacred and magnificent attire; hee dismounted himselfe, and in the high Priest worshipped God: who, as he said, had in a dreame appeared vntounto him in that habit. But what is this to our Ministerie? As an argument of comparison frō the lesse to the greater. For, if the ministerie of the law was so excellent: what shall we thinke of the Ministerie of the Gospell, which, as the Apostle sheweth,h2. Cor. 3. 7. 8. 9. 2. Cor. 3. is much more excellent and glorious then it? The same doth our Sauiour seeme to testifie, when hauing extolled Iohn Baptist aboue all the Priests and Prophets that went before him, as being more then a Prophet, then whom a greater had not risen amongst the sonnes of women; notwithstanding hee preferreth eueryevery faithfull MinisteriMat. 11. 11. in the kingdome of God, that is to say, in the duplicate page duplicate page Church of Christ, before him.

Now we are to enter into comparison with the ciuill Magistrate. Wherein the fatherskAmbros. Chrysost. Nazianz. indeed hauehave included also the soueraigne Magistrate, affirming that the Ministers excell Princes, as farre as gold is better then lead, as heauen surpasseth the earth, as the soule excelleth the bodie: and such like speeches are frequent among them, which the Papists abuse to the maintenance of the Popes supremacie ouer Princes: For, whereas the Fathers speake of the dignitie and spirituall excellencie of the Ministery aboue all other callings; the Papists vnderstand their speeches of power and externall authoritie. And againe, whereas their commendations are giuen of the calling in generall, either of all Ministers, or at least of all Bishops, whom the Fathers notwithstanding, acknowledged to be subiect to their Princes: the Papists applie them as peculiar to their Lord GodlExtra. Ioan. 22. tit. 14 De verborum sig. …. cum inter. in glossa. the Pope, whom they stile the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords. But howsoeuer the comparison of Bishops with Princes, vsed by the fathers, may seeme capable of good construction, in respect of spirituall excellencie, and dignitie celestiall: yet me thinks it should beseeme the modestie of a loyall subiect, in reuerence due to that supereminent function, to exempt the royall Maiestie of Soueraigne Princes from this comparison, not onelyonly in respect of externall power and authoritie, (in regard whereof, we doe freely professe that Ministers are and ought to be subiect to their Soueraigne, and that to the King is committed of God a soueraigne or supreame authoritie in all causes and ouer all persons, as well Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill:) but also in respect of externall excellencie and glorie. For as the whole Church, the spouse of Christ; so the Ministers, especially, are glorious within: Psalme 45.mPsalm. 45. 13 And as Christ his kingdome was not of this world: so is not their excellencie worldly, nor their dignitie carnall. For the Ministerie, as Chrysostome saith,nforeign. De. sacerd. lib. 3. cap. 4. Is indeed executed vponupon the earth, but it is to be numbred in the order of heauenly things, to other Magistrates, wee say with Nazianzene, *Orat. ad Nazianz. ciues foreign.foreign, we also are rulers: yea I will adde (saith he) that we hauehave a greater & more perfect rule; vnlesse you will say, that the spirit must giuegive place to the flesh, or heauenly things to earthly. The iudgement seat of the Magistrate is placed on the earth, & he onlie determineth earthlie affaires: but the throne of the Minister, who exerciseth heauenly iudgements, is, asoTom. 1. de verbis Esaiae. homil. 5. Chrysostome saith, in heauen; and his sentence pronounced on earth, is executed in heauen. The Magistrate, as Peter p1. Pet. 2. 13.saith, is, foreign, an ordinance humane, or appertaining to men: but the Ministerie is foreign, an ordinance diuine, or apperteining to God. Or as Iehosaphat q2. Chron. 19. 11.distinguisheth them; the one for the Kings affaires, the other for the busines of the Lord. Both in deed are Gods Ministers, but the Minister, asrIn Nu…er. Procopius saith, augustius est sortitus Ministerium, hath obtained a more worthie Ministerie. For the Magistrate is conuersant in externall matters, that concerne the world: but the Minister is employed in spirituall things appertaining to God: the one is the Minister of Gods externall iudgement: the other of his word, and iudgements spirituall. Both also may be called the Pastors of the people: but the Magistrates are Pastors of their bodies, the Ministers of their soules. The one, may say with the Romane Magistrate, Ilictor liga manus, deliga ad palum, or as ours doe vse to write, capias corpus, take his bodie, or habeas corpus, hauing authority only to bind the bodie: the other may say with Paul, s1. Cor. 5. 5.Tradatur Satanae, let him be deliuered to Satan, or let him bet1. Cor. 16. 22. Anathema maranatha, that is, accursed vntill the comming of the Lord, as hauing authoritie to bind the soule: the one procureth the temporall good of the bodie, the other the eternall saluation of the soule. The armour, warfare and munitions of the one, are corporal: of the other,u2. Cor. 10. 4. spirituall, xforeign.mightie through God, to the ouerthrowing of strong holds. The one preserueth vsus from externall foes, who are but flesh and blood: the other warreth not with flesh & blood, but with principalities & powers, deliuering men from most dangerous enemies, both within them, that is, their owne sinnes and corruptions, and without them, that is, the world, and the Prince of this world, the diuell. And therefore in this respect also, as the Prophets were wont; so may the Ministers now, bee called the horsemen and chariots of Israel. Wherefore, if heauen and heauenly things surpasse the earth, and earthly affaires; if the soule, and the eternall saluation both of bodie and soule, are to be preferred before the bodie, and temporall good thereof; if the enemies of the soule be more dangerous, then the foes of the bodie: then can we not deny, but that the Ministerie in dignitie doth excell the Magistracie. It is the conclusion of Chrysostome: The Ministerie, yDe sacerd. lib. 3 cap. 1. foreign.saith he, so farre surpasseth the Magistracie, as the spirit excelleth the flesh. And not to stand any longer in particular comparison with the seuerall sorts of men, this may be auouched in generall, that as the Ministerie is of all good things among men the most excellent, aszAd Smyrn. foreign. Ignatius saith: so the Minister is vouchsafed the greatest fauour among men; so that he may not vnworthily be called by a speciall prerogatiue, as Moses in his speech to God, calleth the Priest,aDeut. 33. 8. …sh chasideca, virum quem benignitate prosequeris, as if the Minister were among men the chiefe obiect of Gods bountie and fauour, and as you would say, the fauorit of God. But I pray you what meaneth that speech of God to Moses, bExod. 30. 30. 32.Exod. 30. where hauing commanded him vers. 30. to anoint the Priests with the sacred oile: in the two and thirtieth verse, hee forbiddeth to anoint mans flesh with it? How shall wee vntie this knot, saithcProcop. in Exod. 30. Procopius, writing vponupon that place, Priests must bee anointed with the holie oile, but men may not? Surely, saith he, you must remember that the Priesthood or Ministerie surpasseth the height of all humane excellencie. For Ministers though they bee men: yet are they not as others, men of the world, but, as the Scripture vsually calleth them, men of God. To conclude, if the charge of the Ministerie be, as Chrysostome speaketh, Onus angelorū humeris formidandum, a burthen which the shoulders of Angels duplicate page duplicate page may shrincke at; and yet God enableth those men, whom he calleth, to beare this burthen, whereunto none in themselues are able; it cannot bee denied, but those whom the Lord calleth to the Ministery, he aduanceth aboue the condition of other men; calling them, as to a charge, so also to an honour, which might seeme to become Angels, rather then men.

Wherfore ceasing to compare Ministers with other men: let vsus consider, whether they may not be cōpared with the blessed Angels. For as in some things they are like vntounto them; so in other things, they seeme to hauehave some preeminence aboue them. Like in this, that as the Angels, so also the Ministers, aredHebr. 1. 14. sent forth into the Ministerie for their sake, which shall be heires of saluation. In which regard the Ministers are often called in the Scriptures Angels; and the AngelseApoc. 19. 10. & 22. 9. foreign, the fellow seruants of the Ministers. Superiour they seeme to bee in respect of their Embassage, and of their spirituall authoritie. The Embassage of the Ministers is not simplie foreign a message; but foreign the Euangell, into which the Angels themselues doe desire, as Peter speaketh, f2. Pet. 1. 12. Iohn 20. 5.foreign, that is, stooping downe, as it were, to looke, and to behold. The law indeede was published by the MinisteriegAct. 7. 53. Gala…h 3. 19. of Angels; but the Gospell, by Christ and his Ministers. Now the Ministery of the Gospell is far moreh2. Cor. 3. excellent, then that of the law, and the contempt there of more iHebr. 2. 2. 3.grieuous. Neither hath the Lord, as appeareth by the storie ofkAct. 10. 6. Cornelius, committed the preaching of the Gospell to Angels; but to his Ministers, whom wee are bound to heare and to receiue, not only as lGal. 4. 14.Angels of God, but euen as Christ Iesus.

And as touching their authoritie: to the Ministers, saith Chrysostome, mDe Sacerd. lib. 3. cap. 5. foreign.being conuersant on earth is committed the administration of things in heauen; and they hauehave receiued such an authoritie as God neuer communicated to the angels. For to which of the Angels hath God said at any time, which he hath said to his Ministers:nMat. 18. 18. Verilie, I say vntounto you, whatsoeuer you shall bind vponupon earth, it shall be bound in heauen: and whatsoeuer you shall loose on earth shal be loosed in heauen. And againe.oIohn 20. 23. VVhose sinnes you forgiue, they shall be forgiuen; and whose sinnes you retaine, they shall be retained. On which words, Theophylacts annotation is something hyperbolicall; but in a qualified sense, true:pTheoph. in I…an. 20. foreign. Marke me, saith he, the dignitie of priests, that it is diuine; for it belongeth to God to forgiue sinnes: wherefore you must honour them as God. As if in plainer termes he had said; the authoritie of forgiuing sinnes is diuine; which being communicated after a sort to Ministers, in that they pronouncing the forgiuenesse of sinne according to their commission the sinnes indeede are forgiuen, their authoritie also may bee saide to bee diuine. Wherefore they bearing the image of Gods authoritie before men in forgiuing or retaining sinnes, you are to honor and obey them as God, whose vicegerents they bee. The like hathqAd Trall. foreign. Ignatius; Bee subiect, saith hee, vntounto your Bishop, as vntounto the Lord. And againe, reuerence your Bishop as Christ. Neither is this any more, then is commended vntounto vsus in the example of the Galathians, rGal▪ 4. 14.who receiued the Apostle as an Angell of God, yea as Iesus Christ.

Hitherto I hauehave commended the office of the Ministerie, both absolutelie, and by way of comparison. Now am I to propound the honourable titles, which are giuen to the Ministers of the word. Whereof great store might bee produced out of the Fathers, but I will content my selfe with a few. Chrysostome therefore calleth Ministers thesIn Matth 7. …omil. 17. oper. imperfect. Vicars, or vicegerents of Christ; in which title, though common to all Ministers in a right sense, the vicar of Rome, (though lifting vp himselfe aboue all that is called God) doth chieflie glorie. Origen calleth them thetIn Matth. tract. 5. eies of the Church: Ambrose, the captaines and gouernours of Christs flocke: Augustine, vDe doctr. Christian. lib. 4. cap 4.the defenders of the true faith, and subduers of errours: Nazianzene, likewisexI… Ap…loget. foreign, the presidents of truth, yInit. carm. ad epise.foreign, the glorious gardians of mens soules, the foundations of the world, the light of the life, and pillars of the Christian faith. Bernard and others, praelatos, as being preferred before other men.

But omitting the writings of the fathers, let vsus search the Scriptures; and inquire, what titles, or attributes of honour are by the holie Ghost assigned to Ministers. And first wee will begin with this very title of Gods Ministers, being a title common to them not onelie withzRom. 13. 4. Princes, but also with Christ, who is called theaRom. 15. 8. Minister of circumcision, that is, of the Iewes.

2 They are called foreign,bHebr. 13 17. rulers.

3 By a speciall prerogatiue, they are termed not onelie in the old Testament, but also in the new,c1. Tim. 6. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 17. men of God.

4 foreign,d1. Cor. 3. 9. coworkers of God, who hath so honoured his Ministers, that hee communicateth his owne worke vntounto them. Hence it is, that in the Scriptures they are said to remit sinnes, to beget men vntounto God, and to saue them, &c.

5 foreign, the eTitus 1. 7.stewards of God, to whom are committed the keies of the kingdome of heauen.

6 The fAggei. 1. 13.Embassadours of God; and that, in the g2. Cor. 5. 20.stead of Christ.

7 The hApoc. 1. 2. 3. Iudg 2. 1. Malach. 2. 7.Angels of the Lord, and Angels of the Churches, and therfore asiIob 33. 23. Galath. 4. 14. Angels to be receiued.

8 The k2. King 2. 12. &c. 13. v. 14.chariots of Israel, and the horsemen therof, that is, the strength and stay of the Church, which is the Israel of God.

9 Stars, lApocal. 1. 20.because as in this life they shine before others, with the light of doctrine and good example; so in the life to come they shallmDan. 12. 3. shine as the starres in glorie.

These are honorable titles, but you shall heare more glorious. For the holy Ghost not content to hauehave honored the Ministers with these, ascribeth also vntounto them such titles and effects, as most properly belong vntounto God. For albeit wee hauehave butnMat. 23. 8 9. one Father, and one Teacher, who is in the heauens: notwithstanding the Ministers are called in the Scriptures, not only Doctors, but also Fathers; and such Fathers, as are oforeign. De Sacerd. l. 3. cap. 5.more to bee feared then Princes, more to bee honoured then fathers, as Chrysostome speaketh▪ For whom they beget, they beget them sons of God, heires of heauen, & coheires with Christ. And although this very worke of regenerating or begetting men to God, be the proper worke of the holie Ghost: yet the Ministers also are said by thep1. Cor. 4. 15. Gospel to beget men vntounto God, likewise toqMalac 4. 5. Luk 1. 16. conuert men vntounto God, torAct. 26. 18. open their eyes, to turne them from darknes vntounto light, and from the power of Satan vntounto God, tosDan. 12. 3. Iohn 20. 23. iustifie men, and to remit their sins, totMatth 5. 13. season them as salt, that they do not putrifie in their corruptions, are the proper workes of the blessed Trinitie: and yet notwithstanding all and eueryevery of them are ascribed to the Ministers of God. Moreouer, it is proper vntounto Christ to be theu1. Pet. 2. 25. Pastor of our soules, thexIohn 1. 9. light of the world, theyMatth. 1. 21. Sauiour of his brethren: and yet the Ministers also are calledzEphis 4. 11. Heb. 13. 17. Pastors, not of mens bodies, but of their soules, theaMatth. 5 14. light of the world,bObad. 21. sauiours of their brethren, to whom, as the instruments of God, power ofc1. Tim. 4. 16. Rom. 11. 14. sauing is ascribed. Wherefore to conclude; if the Ministers were ordained to supplie the roome of Christ, and to be the Embassadors of God in his stead: if Kings and Princes, yea if the King of Princes hauehave executed this function: if the proper end of their Ministerie be the saluation of soules: if in regard of preaching, they bee the mouth of God to his people, in regard of prayer, the mouth of the people vntounto God: in respect of the Sacraments, the keepers of Gods seales; as touching the gouernment of the Church, the guardians of Christs bodie, to whom are committed the keies of the kingdome of heauen: if compared to other men, they, be the children of wrath, as all by nature are; these, reconcilers to God: they, sitting in darkenesse; these, the light of the world: they, putrifying in their corruption; these, the salt of the earth: they, dead in sinne; these, begetting them anew, that they may liue to God: they bondslaues of Satan; these, sent to bring thē out of the power of Satan vntounto God: if to other Christians, they, be sheepe these, Pastors: they, plants; these, plāters: they stones; these, builders: they, houshold seruants; these, stewards of Gods house: if to other honourable personages in generall, the Ministers doe so much excell others in honour, as their charge is greater in this life, and their reward more glorious in the world to come; if in speciall, the Spirituall fathers be in honor to be preferred before the carnall, as far as the life to come before this present life; if the Priests of the law, in whom notwithstanding appeared a mirror of Gods glorie, are farre surpassed by the Ministers of the Gospel, who hauehave receiued a more glorious Ministery: if the spiritual pastors hauehave a more excellent function, then the ciuill, by how much the heauen is more excellent then the earth,foreign. De Sacerd. l. 3. cap. 5. or the soules more pretious then the bodie, as Chrysostome saith: if the Lord hauing aduanced them aboue the condition of other men, hath made them in some things equall, in some things superiour to the glorious Angels of God: and lastlie, if the holie Ghost hath assigned vntounto them titles of honour, not onelie common to them with the best of the creatures, but also peculiar to the Creator, all which hath with vnanswerable euidence of truth been demonstrated vntounto vsus: then can we not deny, but that the Ministerie, is not onelyonly a worthie worke, as the Apostle here speaketh, but a most excellent and glorious function.

The full demonstration whereof, I thought to be very needful, as well for their sakes, who bee not of the Ministerie, as for those that be. For first, those of the Laitie, by this doctrine may bee throughly perswaded, to esteeme their Ministers worthy of that double honour of reuerence and maintenance, which by the word of God is due vntounto them: & to free themselues from the two, no more vsual then capitall sinnes of our time, Contempt of the word and Sacrilege.

For as touching reuerence; there is no true Christian, but he will readily acknowledge, that hee ought highly to reuerence those, whom God would hauehave in speciall manner honored, as the Embassadours of God in the stead of Christ, sent to reconcile men vntounto God, and to saue them. Neither will he easily despise those, whom hee acknowledgeth to be the blessed instruments of God, for his singular and euerlasting good. Whereas contrariwise, not to reuerence the Ministers, is to dishonor God, whose Embassadours they be. Basely to esteeme of them in respect of their meane estate in the world, is an euident signe of a worldly minded man: who, as he hath not learned to distinguish the men of God from the men of the world, or to acknowledge the ordinance of God, who hathd1. Cor. 47. foreign. discerned them: so he seemeth to know no better good things then worldly goods, and therefore thinketh himselfe so much better then the Minister, as he is richer. But those who are religious and wise, are otherwise minded. Obadiah, though the gouernour of the Kings house, disdained not to doe reuerencee1. King. 18. 7. 9. to the poore Prophet Eliah. and Ioash the King, when Elisha was sicke, was content to do him this honor, as not onelyonly to visite him, but also to weepe vponupon his face and say:f2. King. 13. 14 My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and horsemen of the same. Yea, the Emperour Iustinian gMaxima quidem in omnibus sunt dona Dei à superna collata clementia, sacerdotium & impcoium: & illud quidem diuinie ministyans, hee autem humanie praesidens, &c. Auth. Collat. 1. Tit. 6. Nouell. 6. in praefat.acknowledging, that the Ministrie, & the Magistracie were two principall gifts of God, giueth the precedence to the Ministerie. And the like preeminence doe our lawes giuegive to those of the spiritualty, before them of the temporaltie. Howbeit priuate men stand otherwise affected towards the Ministerie: eueryevery meane man almost, not only preferring himselfe before the Minister, but also disdaining to bestow, either his son on the Ministerie, or his daughter on a Minister. Yet Esay the Prophet was a Noble man, and as it is thought of the blood royall. Neither did the Kings of Iuda disdaine to ioyne inh2. Chron. 22. 11. 2. King. 23. 31. affinitie with the Priests.

To despise and contemne the Minister in respect of his calling, is to despise God and Christ our Sauiour. For he that despiseth you, saithiLuke 10. 16. Christ, despiseth mee, and hee that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent mee. It is to professe a mans selfe voide of all soundnesse of religion. For it is certaine that a true estimate may bee taken of mens religion and pietie towards God, by their behauiour to the Ministers of God. Neither can it bee, that they, who hauehave been brought by the Ministerie of the word to the state of grace and saluation, should contemne the Ministers thereof. Wherefore hee that despiseth the Ministerie, vndoubtedlie, saith Ignatius, kAd Trall. foreign.Hee is an Atheist, and irreligious man, and a despiser of Christ. It is to hinder their owne saluation, by making the meanes thereof vneffectuall vntounto them, which Chrysostome esteemeth a point of madnesse. For it is manifest madnesse, iDe Sacerd. lib. 3. cap. 5. foreign.saith he, to despise so great authoritie, without which we can neither attaine to saluation, nor to the promised good things. For hee that despiseth the Ministers, despiseth also their Ministerie, by which notwithstanding, as by the ordinariemRom. 1. 16. power of God to our saluation, hee isn1. Cor. 1. 21. pleased to saue those that beleeue. And whosoeuer despiseth the Ministerie of the Gospell, it shal be easier for them ofoMat. 10. 15. Sodom and Gomorah in the day of iudgement, then for him.

To abuse the Ministers by word or deede, is a sinne highly displeasing vntounto God, and grieuouslie prouoking his anger. For seeing they are the Embassadours of God, it cannot bee denied, but that by the iniuries and indignities that are offered to them as Ministers, the Maiestie of God is violated. Wherefore he hath said,pPsal. 105. 15. Touch not mine anointed, and doe my Prophets no harme. Yea, who knoweth not that the persons of Embassadours, are by theqSiquis legatum hostium pulsasset, contraius gentium id commissum esse existimatur: quia sancti habentur legati. Digest. lib. 5. tit. 50. lege vltima. Cic. in Verr. lib. 1. Nomen legati eiusmo. di esse debet, quod non modo inter sociorum iura, sed etiam inter bostium tela in colume versetur. De harusp. respons. sic enim lentio, ius legatorum cùm hominum praesidio munitum sit, tum etiam diuino iure esse vallatum. law of nations sacred and inuiolable? Because their Embassadours were contumeliously vsed, the ancient RomanesrCic. pro lege Manilia. thought it a sufficiēt cause to extinguish Corinth, though the eie of Greece.

Dauid likewise reuenged the indignitie offered to his Embassadors, with the ouerthrow of the Ammonites. 2. Sam. 10. Doe earthlie Princes, who are but dust and ashes, reuenge the wrongs offered to their Embassadours; and shall wee thinke, that the Lord of hosts, the GodsPsal. 94. 1. of vengeance wil suffer the indignities offered to his Embassadours, to goe vnpunished? Neuer any man, saithtforeign. ad Magnes. Ignatius, offending in this kind escaped punishment. Let the withered hand of Ieroboam, u1. King. 13. 4.which hee had stretched out against the Prophet: let the two Captaines with their fifties,x2. King. 1. 10. 12. who were sent to apprehend the Prophet Eltah, destroied by fire from heauen: let the leaud childreny…. King. 2. 24. which reuiled Elisha, deuoured by the beares: let the people of Israel, fora2. Chron. 36. 16. contemning and mocking the Prophets, reiected: let Corah, Dathan and Abiram, who for insurrection made against Aaron, werebNumb. 16. swallowed vp of the earth, be witnesses of this truth. Neither hath the Lord taught this by example alone, but also by precept; wherein he hath appointedcDeut. 17. 12. death to him that rebelleth against the Priest. For though the contempt of the Ministers now adaies seeme a very small or none offence: yet Chrysostome dHomil. 2. in 2. Timoth.doubteth not to call it the cause of all euill, and the Scripture noteth it as a grieuous sinne. Wherefore the Prophet Hosea, eHos. 4. 4.when he would set out in liuelie colours, the desperate wickednesse of the people in his time, he saith, they were like them which contend with the Priest. For to impugne the Ministers which are sent of God, is not to repugne men, but giantlike, to fAct. 5. 39.fight with God: For it is not Aaron that you striue against, saith Moses, gNumb. 16. 11.to Corah and his complices, but euen against God himselfe.

I come to the honour of maintenance; which, though it be most due to the Minister by the word of God, is notwithstanding now adaies greatly called into question. Some thinking the Ministerie vnworthie of allowance, as being in their conceit an idle and needelesse function; and therefore whatsoeuer they can by anie fraudulent deuice either detaine or purloine from the Minister, they thinke it well gotten. Others thinking, that the maintenance of the Ministery is a thing arbitrary, which they may either yeeld or withhold, as …ey find themselues able, or as they like their Minister. Others acknowledging that Ministers ought to bee maintained, notwithstanding would hauehave them to depend either altogether, or for the most part, on the vncertaine beneuolence of the people: themselues not caring how little they pay by way of dutie, so they may pay what they list by way of beneuolence. The first is a kind of brutish people, which hauehave no taste of religion; but are either meere earthwormes, or Epicures, seruing no God but Mammon, or their owne bellie. The second, a kind of professors forward in shew, and but in shew; who thinking the maintenance of Ministers to be as it were a matter of ceremonie, make no conscience of it. The third, a companie of glorious professors, who being indeed vnwilling to pay so much as they ought of dutie, would notwithstanding make God as it were beholding, and his Ministers obnoxious vntounto them for their gratuities. But I hope it doth sufficiently appeare by that which hath bin said in commendation of the Ministerie, that the Ministers are well worthie of sufficient maitenance, and that, to bee yeelded vntounto them, neither as a thing arbitrary, nor as a meere gratuitie; but as an honor in equitie and iustice due vntounto them by the word of God. Yea, I will adde, so due, as that without sacrilege it cannot be detained from them.

For the cleering of this point, we are to shew two things; first, that a sufficient maintenance is due to the Minister. Secondly, what this sufficient maintenance is. As touching the former: the Apostleh1. Cor. 9. 14. saith: 1. Cor. 9. 14. God hath ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospel. The maintenance, therfore of Ministers is not an humane policie, but the ordinance of God: and wee are to acknowledge it to bee due vntounto them not onelie by mans law, but also, iure diuino, by the law of God. Now God hath ordained it as a dutie both of pietie towards him, and also of iustice and equitie towards his Ministers. Pietie requireth that we shouldiMat. 22. 21. giuegive vntounto God that which is Gods. For God hauing reserued vntounto himselfe a portion in all mens goods, he is to be honoured with the same, as Salomon kProu. 3. 9.saith: Prou. 3. Honour the Lord with thy substance, and with the chiefe of thy increase. This portion is the Ministers allowance: in which respect the LordlDeut. 18. 2. Ezech. 44. 28. professeth, that hee is the portion of his Ministers. And this portion is so due vntounto God, and from him to his Ministers, as that to professe religion, and to denie this allowance, is no better then tomGala. 6. 6. 7. mocke God, and no lesse then tonMatth. 3. 8. robbe him.

Equitie requires, that the Ministers, hauing not onelyonly for the furnishing of themselues to the seruice of the Church, spent their time, industrie, and substance; but also when they are furnished, employing their gifts, and spending their strength in the most profitable and necessarie seruice of the Church, should bee liberallie maintained, and as the Apostle speaketh, bee o1. Tim. 5. 17.counted worthie of double honour. And this equitie the holy Ghost prooueth by diuers reasons: 1. Cor. 9. First, à pari, vers. 7.p1. Cor. 9. 7. VVho goeth a warfare at his owne cost? who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruite therof? or who feedeth a flocke, and eateth not of the milke of the flocke? Therefore by the same reason, Ministers, who are the captaines of the Lords bandes, planters of his vineyard, Pastors of his flocke, are to hauehave maintenance from the Church. Secondlie, à minori; we are in equitie to afford food, and q1. Cor. 9. 9. 10. 1. Tim. 5. 18.not to mussle the mouth of the oxe that treadeth out the corne: therefore much more are we to yeeld maintenance to them, that breake vntounto vsus the food of life: vers. 9. 10. Thirdly, à maieri, the Minister communicateth spiritual things to the people, which are incomparablie of more value then all temporall commodities. Is it then a great matter, saith ther1. Cor. 9. 11. Apostle, if we reape your carnall things? vers. 11. Fourthly, à simili, as the Leuiticall Priests for their seruice had liberall maintenance; so ought the Ministers of the Gospell.s1 Cor. 9. 13. 14. Doe you not know, saith he, vers. 13. 14. that they which minister about the holy things, eate of the things of the Temple, and they which waite at the Altar, are partakers with the Altar? so also hath the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospell, should liue of the Gospell.

Now, what and how great this sufficient maintenance is, which as I said, is due to the Ministers, we are not to estimate according to the niggardly conceits of worldlie men, but according vntounto that proportion of allowāce, which God assigned to the Priests of the Law. For it cannot be denied, but that as we are more bound vntounto the Lord in all duties of thankfulnes, since the Messias exhibited, then they to whom hee was only promised; & as in the same respect the Ministerie of the Gospell far excelleth the priesthood of the law: so the portion which is due vntounto God, and from him to his Ministers, ought to be answerable.

Let vsus then consider, what allowance was due to the clergie by the lawe. First, they hadtNumb. 35. 4. 5. 7. Iosua 21. Philo de Sacerd. honorib. 48. cities, and the suburbane fields round about, for the space of two thousand cubits euerie way; which in so small a coūtry was a very great proportiō. Secondly; they had the uNumb. 18. 21. Leuit. 27. 30. 32. Matth. 23. 23.tithes of the corne, wine, oile, and of all fruites and hearbs, the tithes of the heards and the flockes. Thirdlie, the first xExod. 34. 19. 20. Ezech. 44. 30. Nehem. 10. 36. Num. 18. 15. 16.borne, of all sorts of cattell, as of beeues, sheepe; and goates, and the prises of the rest, according to the Priests estimation. Likewise, the first borne of men, redeemed at fiue shekels a man. Fourthlie, theyNum. 18. 13. Deut. 18. 4. Ezech. 44. 30. Nehem. 10. 35. 37. first fruits, as namely, the first ripe of all that was in the land; the first fruits of the wine, oile, and wooll, the first fruit of their dough. Fiftlie, allzNum. 18. 8. 14. 19. Ezech. 44. 29. 30. the oblations and vowes, and whatsoeuer was dedicated vntounto God, and separated from common vse. Sixtly, theaNumb. 18. 9. 11. Ezech. 44. 29. Leuit. 24. 9. Matth. 12. 5. meate offerings, the sinne offerings, and the trespasse offerings, the heaue offerings, and the shake offerings, and the shew-bread. Seuenthlie, ofbNum. 18. 18. Leuit. 7. 31. 32. 34. Deut. 18. 3. Leuit. 7. 8. sacrifices eucharisticall, they had the brest & the shoulder; of others, the shoulder, the two cheekes, and the mawe; of burnt sacrifices, the skinne. Eightly, all thecExod. 23. 15. cap. 34. 20. males were to appeare thrice a yeare before the Lord, and none emptie handed. Lastly, all these duties were to bedNehem. 10. 35. 37. brought to the Priests and Leuites; and if any for their owne ease desired not to pay in kind, but to redeeme any dutie, or cōsecrated thing; they were to pay according to the Priestes estimation, and to adde a fifth part. And if anyeLeuit. 5. 15. 16. detained any thing, either in whole, or in part, which was holy, and by law due; hee was to bring a ramme for an offering, he was to make good that which hee withheld, and also to adde a fifth part.

The maintenāce therfore of the Priests, by the law of God, was in respect of the quantitie, very liberal; and in respect of the maner, very honorable. For as Philo fDe honorib. Sacerd.saith, it is a great honor to bee partaker of those things which are consecrated to God; and as he*Ibid. hath well obserued, lest the people when they brought any of their duties, should vpbraid the Priest, as if he were beholding vntounto them; they were commanded to bring their offerings or gifts into the Temple, that from thence the Priests might receiue them, as from the hands of God. Now, if such plentifull & honorable maintenance by the law of God, was due to the Priests and Leuites; no man of vnderstanding will denie, but as great a proportion at the least, doth in equitie belong to the Ministers of the Gospell.

If it be said, that the Leuites were the 13. part of Israel, and therefore a greater proportion needfull for their maintenance: I answere, though they were the 13. Tribe, yet were they not the thirteenth part. For when the other 12. Tribes weregNumb. 1. 46. numbred from 20. yeeres and vpward, such onelie as were fit to beare armes, the number of them was six hundred and three thousand, fiue hundred and fiftie. Whereunto if you shall adde all which were either vnderunder twentie yeeres, or vnfit for seruice, the number would be at the least doubled. But the Leuites being al reckoned from a monethmonth old and aboue, their number washNumb. 3. 39. but two and twentie thousand: which was not much aboue the sixtith part; and not so much byiNumb. 3. 33. two hundred seuentie three, as the onelie first borne of the other tribes. And therefore when the Lord tooke the Leuites for the first borne of Israel, the odde two hundred seuentie three, were redeemed according to thekNum. 18. 16. law, at fiue shekels a man; and for them alNumb. 7. 47. 48. 50. 51. thousand three hundred sixty fiue shekels giuen to Aaron and his sonnes. Now, if a suruey bee taken of the Clergie of England and their families; I suppose, they will not come much short of this proportion. Besides, the meanes of maintenance, which the Clergie of Israel had, descended to their posteritie; and therefore a lesse annuitie might suffice them, because they had a perpetuitie; whereas the maintenance of our Clergie dieth with them; and out of the annual receites, which the parent hath for terme of life, his posteritie must be prouided for; and in that respect an inheritance to bee permitted vntounto them, which was denied to the Leuites. But although our Ministery be more excellent, and therefore greater honour both of reuerence and maintenance due vntounto it: though our number and charge being not lesse, our need of larger maintenance greater, because it endeth with vsus: though the Church, being not tied to the succession of the posteritie, which oft would prooue vnworthie, but being (by law) alwaies to bee prouided of sufficient incumbents, ought in this regard also to make the better allowance; yet what hauehave wee in comparison of them? yea what are our annuities to their perpetuities? Our Colledges, and collegiate Churches (blessed bee God) hauehave lands, and our benefices glebes, though much impaired by sacriledge. But what are these to the 48. cities of the Priests and Leuites with their precincts; beside all the land, which at any time was dedicated vntounto God, and (being not redeemed) remained for a perpetuallmLeuit. 27. 21. 28. possession to the Priests? Beside the lands (which many want) we hauehave scarce any thing but tithes; and a great part of them, by popish either appropriations, whollie alienated, or exemptions defaulked, or by the sacrilegious practises, both of corrupt Patrons, and also of vnconscionable parishioners, mightilie impaired. But the Priests, to whom our Ministers are answerable, had so many allowances (as you heard) that although they had had no tithes, the proportion of their maintenance had farre exceeded ours.

If it shall be said, that tithes are ceremoniall or iudiciall, and therefore not to bee exacted of vsus: I answere, first, that many learned men are of iudgement, that they are morall, as being that part of mens goods which is perpetually due vntounto the Lord. But I will not enter into that question at this time, it shall suffice vsus to acknowledge these two things: first, that if not the same maintenance which was assigned to the Priests, then questionlesse a greater is due vntounto the Ministers of the Gospell, for the reasons before deliuered: secondly, that although tithes were prescribed by the iudiciall law; yet the equitie of that law remaineth, and it is lawfull for Christian Magistrates in imitation thereof, to prescribe the same things. Neither can it be denied, but that the tithes being by the lawes, not only of this land, but almost of all Christendome, consecrated vntounto God, for the maintenance of the Ministers, they cannot without sacrilege bee alienated, or detained from them. It is destruction, saithnProu. 20. 25. Salomon, to deuoure that which is sanctified, & after the Vowes to enquire. That which is once dedicated vntounto holy vses, and consecrated to God, may not returne to common vses. If the thing be abused▪ the vse is to be reformed: but the propertie is the Lords, and no man can take it from him. See Numb. 16. 38. Leuit. 27. 21. 28. Sacrilegious therefore was the alienation of Church liuings by appropriations, which are the bane of the people, and blemish of our Church: neither wil the Popes authority, by which they were made, excuse them as lawfull; but prooue the originall of them, to hauehave been Antichristian. Sacrilegious hath been the practise of courtlie Harpies, who hauehave praied vponupon the liuings of the Church, which praied for them. If it were sacriledge in Nebuchadnezzar (though a conqueror) to take away the goldenoDan. 5. 2. 2…. vessels of the Temple; and in Belshazzer, to abuse them to profane vses: what shall we say of them, who hauehave taken, not the mooueables, but the very patrimonie of the Church? Sacrilegious is the practise of Patrones, who detaine any part of the glebe or tithes, or with Gehezi make gaine of that which ought freelie to be giuen: as well as it was sacriledge inpIos. 6. 22. & 7. …1. Achan, to take part of that which was consecrated vntounto God. Sacrilegious are all the practises and deuises of vnconscionable parishioners, who either by fraude or pretence of law, as by pretended customes, compositions, or such like, defraude the Minister of his due. Was it sacrilege inqAct. 5. Ananias and Sapphira, punishable with sudden death, who detained part of that which themselues had consecrated vntounto God, and might before the consecration thereof hauehave kept it to themselues? and is it not much more sacrilegious to detaine that, which wee neuer had right to keepe, as being by law consecrated vntounto God? Christians should remember that the tithes and reuenues of the Church, are Gods part; and that it is their dutie to honour God, not with therMal. 1. 8. refuse, but with the sProu. 3. 9.chiefe of their increase: that to detaine those things which bee consecrated to God, for the maintenance of his Ministers, is no other then to robbe and spoile God himselfe. For will a man, saithtMala…. 3. 8. he, spoile his gods? yet hauehave you spoiled me: but you say, wherein hauehave we spoiled thee? In tithes and offerings. Let them consider on the one side, the gracious promises of God made to those who honour him by giuing the due honour of maintenance to his Ministers, as Prou. 3.uProu. 3. 9 10. Honour the Lord with thy riches, and with the chiefe of all thine increase. So shall thy barnes be filled with abundance, and thy presses shall euen burst with new wine. And Malach. 3.xMalach. 3. 10 Bring you all the tithes into the store house, that there may bee meate in mine house, and prooue me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open the windo wes of heauen vntounto you, and power you out a blessing without measure. On the other side, the fearefull curse, not onelyonly denounced, as Malac. 3.yMalac. 3. 9. You are accursed with a curse, for you hauehave spoiled me, saith the Lord, viz. in tithes, and in offerings: but also executed on those who hauehave been guiltie of sacriledge. Let the great and greedie Harpyes set before their eies, thezDan. 5. 5. hand writing, which appeared to Belshazzar when he was quaffing in the cuppes of the Temple: and let the rest, I meane sacrilegious proprietaries, corrupt Patrons, couetous and vnconscionable parishioners call to mind what befell toaIos. 7. Achan, tob2. King. 5. 27. Gehezi, tocAct. 5. Ananias and Sapphira: and as they would auoid their punishment, so let them abhorre their sinne.

And to conclude this point, let those which be in authoritie (as it becommeth the nursing fathers of the Church) imitate the zeale of godlie Nehemiah, who could not cndure the alienation of onedNehem. 13. 8. chamber of the Priests to the priuate vse of Tobiah. And let our Parliaments, in the name of God, be carefull to auoide that imputation which Paul laieth vponupon the Iewes, that howsoeuer in respect of the particulars before mentioned, it may be verified of too many among vsus, yet notwithstanding the whole state may not bee charged with it. eRom. 2. 22.Thou abhorrest idols, saith he, and doest thou commit sacriledge? And let them know that not onelie to the restitution of impropriations (which at the dissolution of the Abbies ought to hauehave been made) they still remaine deepelie obliged: but also for the not restoring thereof, the whole land standeth in an high degree, obnoxious to the iudgements of God. For though the Pope and Papists had some shew of reason to take from the secular Priests, that which they gaue to the regular, who as they imagined, liued in a state of perfection, whose deuotions were in their conceit the treasures of the Church for the releefe of labouring soules, and whose maintenance in their intent, was to serue for the great releefe of the poore and harbourlesse: yet what colour, or shew of reason hauehave we, by alienating the Church liuings from the Cleargie, to robbe God of his portion, the Ministers of their maintenance, the people of their spirituall, and the poore of their corporall sustenance? And lastlie, let them acknowledge it to bee a great shame for our land prosessing the Gospel, and sincere religion of Christ, that the idolatrous Priests, not onelyonly among the Papists, but also among thefGen. 47. 22. Heathen, are more regarded, and better rewarded, then the true Ministers of Christ among vsus.

And thus much of the vse, which the people are to make of this doctrine.

Before I come to the Ministers themselues, some thing is to bee added concerning scholers or students. That none of them presume to refuse the Ministerie, as thinking thēselues in respect either of their parentage, or of their wealth, or of their gifts, too good to be Ministers. For if they will call to mind what hath been said concerning the honour of the Ministerie: I doubt not, but they will say with Paul, g2 Cor. 2. 16.And who is sufficient for these things? and be more readie to acknowledge themselues vnworthie to bee Ministers, then the Ministerie to be vnworthie of them. If they refuse it, because it wanteth either wealth or honor, or because they call into question the lawfulnes of the chiefe places in the Ministerie (which respects hauehave diuerted many indued with excellent gifts, to the studie of Physicke, or law either ciuill or common) I would intreate, not onelyonly them, that they would with indifferencie reade that which hIn Apoc. 1. 20.elsewhere I hauehave alledged to iustifie the honorable calling of Bishops, as being the ordinance of God, but also those which be in authoritie, that they would acknowledge it to be a godly, wise, and necessary policie, that places of great reward and eminent honor, should be prouided for those who deserue best, in respect either of the studie and profession of diuinitie, or exercise of their Ministerie, For honos alit artes: neither may it be expected that men of best gifts, and therfore most worthie to be consecrated to the Lord, will ordinarily vndertake this calling, which is exposed to such contempt of the world, subiect to so great a charge as the gardianship of mens soules, and yet rewarded with small preferment either of maintenance or honor; when other studies, especially that of the law, doth promise vntounto them, so rich rewards, so great honour, so high preferment in the world. It is true, there should bee no comparison in the estimation of a Christian, betweene that profession which respecteth onelyonly outward wealth (especially if you adde the vsuall and personall corruption of them who professe it, who vndertaking all causes that come to hand, seeme to set not only their tongues, but also their soules to sale) and that calling, by the studie and practise whereof, thou mayesti1. Tim. 4. 16. saue thine owne soule, and those that do heare thee: notwithstanding because yong men, when they are to make choice of their profession, are not (for the most part) so wel setled in Christianitie, as simplie to preferre things spirituall, to things temporall; there must be some inducements to the studie of diuinitie, which may euen in outward respects allure them who are of best gifts, and of greatest hope: for they also are flesh and blood.

Now I come to the Prophets, and sons of the Prophets; that is, to Ministers and students of Diuinitie: who from the dignitie of the Ministerie are to reape two vses. The one, of comfort and incouragement, the other of instruction. For although the Ministerie aboue all callings is most subiect to the contempt and disgrace of profane and godlesse men: yet the Ministers are to be assured, that their function, is a worthie and excellent worke; and that as God himselfe hath greatly honoured thē, so can they not but be honored of all those▪ who are the children of God. The contempts and contumelies of the rest, which they offer vntounto vsus for Christs, or for our callings sake, ought to bee so far from dismaying vsus, as that we ought in respect thereof to account our selueskMatth. 5. 11. 12. happie: For being there by made conformable not onlie to the Prophets and Apostles of Christ, but also to our Sauiour himselfe, wee shall also be conformed vntounto them in happines and glorie. And howsoeuer our Ministerie be contemned or oppugned; yet wee are to be assured with the Apostle,l2. Cor. 2. 15. 16. that we are a sweete sauour vntounto God in Christ, not onelie in them that are saued, but in them also that perish; to the one, a sauour of death vntounto death, & to the other, a sauour of life vntounto life. And in some measure may euerie one of vsus say with the Prophet (though speaking in the name of Christ)mEsa. 49. 4. 5. howsoeuer I hauehave laboured in vaine, and hauehave spent my strength in vaine, and for nothing: yet my iudgement is with the Lord, and my worke with my God. And though Israel be not gathered, yet shall I be glorious in the eies of the Lord, and my God shall be my strength.

The instruction which is to bee learned is this, that seeing the function of the Ministerie is so honourable, as hath been said, Ministers first, would labour to be worthie of that honour, which in respect of their function appertaineth to them. And secondly, that students in diuinity would not offer themselues, or Bishops admit them, namelie, to bee Pastors, vntill they bee in some competent measure qualified according to that sufficiencie or worthinesse, which is required in the Minister of God. For (as they say) Non ex quouis ligno fit Mercurius. And this (that I may proceede from the worthinesse of the Ministerie, to the worthinesse of the Minister, described vers. 2.) is the vse which the Apostle himselfe maketh in this place. The office of a Bishop, saith he, is a worthie worke: therefore a Bishop ought to be blamelesse, &c. But howsoeuer many things are here required to the worthinesse or sufficiencie of a Minister; yet all may be reduced to these two heads. The one, respecting his life, that he be foreign, of blamelesse conuersation: the other, his Ministerie, that hee be foreign, apt, that is, able and willing to teach: the one, implying, foreign personae, the gifts of the person, wherewith the Minister is to be adorned, foreign,nGal. 2. 14. to walke vprightlie; the other, foreign Ministerij, the gifts of the Ministerie, wherewith he is to be furnished, foreign, to o2. Tim. 2. 15.diuide the word aright. And these two are vsually ioyned together in the Scriptures, to wit, Thummim and vrim, integritie of life, and light of doctrine; precept, and practise. For the Lord would hauehave his Ministers, whom they teach by precept, to goe before them also in example, and contrariwise. For this cause, as God inserted in the brest-plate of the PriestpExod. 28. 30. vrim and thummim, to bee vponupon his hart: so Moses praying that God would adorne his Priests with sufficiencie, hee craueth these twoqDeut. 33. 8.; Let thy Thummim & thy vrim be vponupon the man of they merciemercy. Likewise, on the skirts of the Priests robe the Lord appointedrExod. 28. 33. 34. golden belles and pomgranates to bee sowed round about; signifying by the one, the sweet and heauenlie sound of true doctrine; without which sound, saithsGreg. lib. 1. Epist. 24. in ea verba Exod. 28. Audiatur sonitus, &c. Sacerdos ingrediens sanctuarium moritur▪ si de eo sonitus non audiatur: quia iram contra se occul…i iudicis exigit, si sine sonitu praedicationis incedat. Gregorie, if a Minister doe goe into the Sanctuarie, hee incurreth the anger of God: by the other, the sweet and holsome fruit of a godlie life. For as the diuinetPlato in Lachete. Philosopher saith, Hee maketh the best harmonie, whose life agreeth with his doctrine. But whose doctrine is altogether dissonant from his life, he is, as the Apostle saith,u1. Cor. 13. 1. a iarring Cymball. The same hath the Prophet Malachie ioyned together; shewing that these things were, and so ought to be in the Priests of God.xMal. 2. 6. 7. The law of truth was in his mouth, and there was no iniquitie found in his lippes: he walked with me in peace and equitie, and did turne many away from iniquitie. For the Priests lippes should preserue knowledge, and they should seeke the lawe at his mouth, for he is the Angell of the Lord of Hosts. In the new testament these two oft concurre. yMat. 5. 13. 14. cum 16.Matth. 5. Ministers are said to bee the salt of the earth, and the light of the world; because their office is, by sound doctrine to season, and by good example to shine before others:zAct. 20. 28. Act. 20. The Ministers of Ephesus are exhorted to attend both to themselues and to the flocke: to themselues, by liuing well; to the flocke, by feeding them with holsome doctrine. For we that are Ministers, saithaTom. 9. de Pastor. cap. 1. Augustine, hauehave two things; the one, that we are Christians; the other, that we are Ministers. Illud quòd Christiani sumus, propter nos est; quòd autem praepositi sumus, propter vos est. In eo quòd Christiani sumus, attenditur vtilitas nostra: in eo quòd praepositi, non nisi vestra. VVee are Christians for our selues, and Ministers for you. In that wee are Christians, our owne profit is attended; but as we are Ministers, your profite it sought. Likewise, in his epistles, Paul exhorteth Ministersb1. Tim. 1. 19. to retatne faith, that is, sound doctrine, and a good conscience: toc1. Tim. 4. 16. attend to themselues and to doctrine: as touching their life, to shew themseluesdTit. 2. 7. 8. examples of good works: and as touching their Ministerie, dTit. 2. 7. 8.to teach sound and vncorrupt dostrine. These two, whosoeuer ioyneth together, that is,eMatth. 5. 19. whosoeuer shall keepe the Commaundements of God and teach others so to doe, the shall be great in the kingdome of God. Such a Minister was Iohn Baptist, to whom our Sauiour giueth this testimonie,fIoh. 5. 35. that he was a burning and a shining light: burning, in himselfe, and shining vntounto others. Such were all the men of God, who are commended vntounto vsus in the Scriptures; whose knowledge was inflamed with piety, and their pietie enlightened with knowledge.

These things which the holy Ghost ioyntly requireth in Ministers, by no means ought to be seuered. For what is an honest Minister, if he be vnlearned? A Lampe that burneth, but giueth no light: a Bell of good mettall, but wanting a Clapper: a kinde Nurse, but without milke: an honest gGregor. past. part. 2. c. 4. Praeconis officium suscipist, quîsquis ad sacerdotium accedit, vt ante aduentum iudicis qui terribiliter sequitur, ipse scilicet clamando gradiatur. Sacerdos ergo si praedicationis est nescius, quam clamoris vocem daturus est praeco mutus?Crier, but without a voice: a well minded Watchman, but void of sight: a willing Guide, but ingorant of the way. And therefore they are like to remaine in darkenesse, who should be enlightened by him: to be hunger-starued, that should be fedde by him: to remaine vncalled, who should bee called by him: to be surprized who should hauehave warning from him: to goe out of the way, who should be guided by him. Wherefore it is well said of Ierome, hHieronym▪ ad Oceanum. Innocens a…sque sermone conuersatio, quantum exemplo prodest, tantum silentio nocet.Innocent conuersation without instruction, doth as much hurt by silence, as it helpes by example. For the Ministers, they be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the eies in the bodie of Christ, which is his Church, the guides of the people: If therefore the lightiMatth. 6. 23. of the people be darkenes; alas, how great shall their darkenesse be? If the salt whereby the people should be seasoned be vasauourie, how should not the people putrifie in their sinnes? If the eies of the cōgregation (askNum. 10. 31. guides be in stead of eies) be blind, how should the people see? If the guides know not the way, needes must the people wander. If the lMatth. 15. 14.blind leade the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

But some idle drone wil say: it is enough for mee, that I serue God in holinesse and righteousnesse; though I cannot, or do not preach. To whom I answere, that a mans religion and iustice, if hee hauehave any, must appeare in the exercise of his calling. And therefore a Minister can hardlie be a good man, as I suppose, that is not, in some competencie, a good Minister. Now a good Minister, is not onelyonly a sheepe in Christs fold, but also a Pastor of his flocke: not onlie a liuing stone in the Temple of God, but also a builder: not onelyonly a plant in Gods garden, but also a planter: not only a child of God, but a father also in the faith, begetting others vntounto God: not onelie foreign, a disciple of Christ, but a teacher, mMat. 28. 19.foreign, instructing others.

On the other side, what is a learned Minister, if he be vngodlie? He is nothing, saith Paul, n1. Cor. 13. 2.for if I had prophecie, saith he, and knew all mysteries, and alknowledge, and had not charitie, I were nothing. For an o1. Cor. 8. 4.Idoll is nothing, as he saith in the same Epistle. And a Minister, that saith, and doeth not, little differeth from an idoll; being not vnfitlie to bee compared to the Mercuriales statuae, which shew the way to passengers, but themselues stirre not. But with Paul (in p1. Cor. 13. 2. 3.that place) nihil esse, and nihil prodesse, to be nothing, and to profit nothing, is all one. But Ministers, who with the Pharisies,qMatth. 23. say and do not, they are like to profit the people but a little; and themselues nothing at all. This therefore ought to bee the first care of euerie Diuine,rMatth. 6. 33. First, to seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse. That he may be a sound Christian, before he bee a Minister; a Disciple of Christ, before hee take vponupon him to teach others; a liuing stone in the Temple of God, before he presume to bee a builder: a sheepe of Christ, before he be a Pastor; a plant in Gods garden, before he be a planter; that himselfe be called, before he call others: himselfe a follower of Christ, before he lead others: himselfe one of the houshold of faith, before he take vponupon him to bee a steward or ruler of the houshold.

And surely if all Christians, who tender their owne saluation, had neede to labour for holinesse,sHebr. 12. 14. without which no man shall see God: then much more had Ministers need tot1. Tim. 4. 7. exercise themselues vntounto godlinesse, to whose care and fidelitie the saluation of others is entrusted; that by preaching profitablie, and liuing vprightlie, they may u1. Tim. 4. 16.saue, not onelie themselues, but those also who are committed to their trust. Otherwise, if we say and doe not; yea, if wee say one thing, and doe the contrarie, wee shall neither profit the people, nor yet our selues. Not the people, whom by our example we do more scandalize, then edifie by our doctrine, pulling downe with the left hand, what we set vp with the right, misleading by our life, whom by our doctrine wee would seeme to lead. Euen as the Prophet saith,xEsay 3. 13. My people, qui ducunt te, seducunt: they which leade thee, mislead thee. Wherfore, as Isidore saith, Qui negligit recta facere desinat & recta docere: Let him cease to teach well, that cares not to liue well. For to what purpose doest thou commend to thy people the straite and afflicted way to heauen; when thy selfe takest the broad and easie way, which leadeth vntounto hell? for wil not the people sooner learne Atheisme by thy life, then religion by thy doctrine? For what saith thy sillie sheepe in such a case? Surelie if my Pastor were indeed perswaded, that there is a God which wil iudge the world, ren dering to eueryevery man according to his waies; if hee thought indeede, that there is a heauen for the godlie, and a hell for the wicked, as hee would perswade vsus; it could not bee, that he would liue as he doth. But what heare I words, when I see deedes? If my guide goe that way, who am I, that I should not follow him? This is that, which Gregory saith,yPastoral. part. 1. cap. 2. Cum Pastor per abrupta graditur, ad praecipitium grex sequitur; when the Pastor goeth in steep-downe places, the flock followeth headlong vntounto ruine. Wherefore, whosoeuer by an vngodly life ouerthroweth his doctrine, hee layeth zLeuit. 19. 14.a stumbling block before the blind, or causeth aDeut. 27. 18.the blind to erre out of his way, which whosoeuer doth he is accursed: yea, as I said, he openeth a schoole to Atheisme, whereby it comes to passe, asbDe dignit. Sacerd. cap. 6. Ambrose saith Vt non solums ipsi dum malè agunt, dignè pereant, sed alios insuper secum indignè perdant: That not onelie themselues whiles they liue wickedly, doe worthilie perish, but also vnworthily they destroy others. But neither do they profit thēselues, for as Paul saith,c1. Cor. 13. 1. 2. If I speake with the tongue of Angles, & could prophesie, and had all knowledge, and hauehave not louelove, it profiteth me nothing. Such Ministers are like to cookes, which prouide wholesome meate for others, but eate not thereof themselues. Like to those carpenters that built the Arke for Noah, and themselues perished in the floud; for whiles theyd1. Cor. 9. 27. preach to others, themselues become reprobates. For if we hauehave nothing to alleadge for our selues in the day of iudgement,eMatth. 7. 22. 2…. but, Lord hauehave not we prophesied in thy name? we shall receiue this doome, I know you not, depart from me you workers of iniquitie. Yea, he that teacheth others, and teacheth not himselfe; hee that condemneth other sinners vntounto hell, and committeth greater crimes himselfe; hee teacheth God with what sentence to condemne himselfe, for vntounto him that terrible, but yet iust sentence doth belong;fLuk. 19. 22. Out of thine owne mouth I will condemne thee thou wicked seruant. Whereas contrariwise, if we would g1. Tim. 4. 16.attend to our selues to liue well, and to doctrine to teach well, and would continue therein, wee should saue both our selues and those that heare vsus: if we would bee carefull both tohMatth. 5. 19. keepe Gods Commandements, and teach others so to doe, wee should bee great in the kingdome of God; great (I say) in the kingdome of grace, but incomparablie greater in the kingdome of glorie. VntoUnto which he bring vsus, that hath so dearely bought it for vsus, euen Christ Iesus the righteous: to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise and glorie for euer, Amen.

FINIS.

Corrections.

Pag. 11. lin. à fine 6. Minister. pag. 18. lin. vlt. idole. pag. 52. lin. 1. things. To. pag. 58. marg. lin. à fine 5. foreign. lin. vlt. foreign. pag. 59. lin. penult. of life. pag. 62. lin. 4. God. Likewise pag. 88. lin. vlt. Ministerie. For.

A Sermon defending the honourable function of BISHOPS, Preached, April. 17. Anno. D. 1608. at the Consecration of the right reuerend Father in GOD, the L. Bishoppe of Bath and Wells:

By George Downame, Doctor of Divinitie.

AT LONDON, Printed by H. L. for Mathew Lownes, and …lix Kyngston. Anno. D. 1608.

REVERENDO IN CHRISTO PATRI AC DOMINO, DOMINO IACOBO MOVNTAGVE, EPISCOPO BATHONIENSI ET WELLENSI, PRAESVLI CLARISSIMO, DOMINO SVO INPRIMIS OBSERVANDO

Georgius Downame Concionem hanc, quâ dignitas Episcopalis asseritur, ad perpetuam amoris et observantiae memoriam, Dicat Consecrat que .

Two Sermons, Title page 1 – Dedication 2

REVERENDISSIMO IN CHRISTO PATRI AC DOMINO HONORATISSIMO, DOMINO RICHARDO PROVIDENTIA DIVINA ARCHIEPISCOPO CANTVARIENSI, TOTIVS ANGLIAE PRIMATI AC METROPOLITANO, SERENISSIMAE QVE REGIAE MAIESTATI A SANCTIORIBVS CONSILIIS, DOMINO SVO AC PATRONO COLENDISSIMO:

A SERMON OF THE DIGNITIE AND DVETIE OF THE MINISTERIE.

Corrections.

REVERENDO IN CHRISTO PATRI AC DOMINO, DOMINO IACOBO MOVNTAGVE, EPISCOPO BATHONIENSI ET WELLENSI, PRAESVLI CLARISSIMO, DOMINO SVO INPRIMIS OBSERVANDO