A Call to Archippus, Title page
A Call to Archippus; OR, An humble and earnest MOTION TO SOME Ejected Ministers, (by way of LETTER) To take heed to their MINISTRY, That they Fulfil it.
Col. 4. 17. And say to Archippus, Take heed to the Ministry, which thou hast received in the Lord, that thou fulfil it.
Acts 20. 28. Take heed therefore unto your selves, and to all the Flock, over which the holy Ghost hath made you Overseers, to feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
29. For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous Wolves enter in among you, not sparing the Flock.
1 Pet. 5. 1, 2. The Elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an Elder, &c. Feed the Flock of God, which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, &c.
Printed in the year, 1664.
A Call to ARCHIPPUS: or, an humble and earnest Motion to some Ejected Ministers, &c.
Reverend Fathers and Brethren,
VVE said *Job 32. 7.days should speak, and waited for the words of the Ancient; But an aged Paul would not have others †1 Tim. 4. 12.despise Timothy his youth, much lesse would he do it himself. Your long silence hath made us speak, to utter to you our own troubles, and the sighs and groans of your helpless Flocks. We cannot inform you, but have only writ to *2 Pet. 3. 1.stir you up by way of remembrance, and humbly to put you in mind, that you †2 Tim. 1. 6stir up the gift of God that is in you, and suffer not your worthy *Matt. 25. 25.Talents to be buried in the Napkin, now the sinking Church and dying Religion hath such pressing need for their utmost improvement.
These Letters are to you in behalf of the poor Flocks, like the man of Macedonia †Acts 16. 9.crying to you, Come and help us: or, a Call to *Col. 4. 17.Archippus, to take heed to the Ministry that he hath received, that he fulfill it.
Fathers and Brethren, we unfeignedly reverence you, we magnifie the grace of God in and unto you. Did not we reverence your Parts, Gifts and Graces, and esteem them every way so useful to the Churches, we should contentedly see you sit still, and never be at the pains to excite you. But our high value of you, hath made us humbly bold to expostulate the case a little with you, and passionately to beseech you, to remember how great a work it is that lies upon you, and to set your hands to it in this time of difficulty.
Some of yours were the holy hands by which we were called to our Office, when you made us publickly promise (according to the obligation of our Office) that we would never, for fear of any persecution, desist from preaching the Gospel; and far be it from our Fathers to withdraw, as soon as persecution begins. Suffer us with all modesty and submission, to reason with you. Hath not God said, Necessity is laid on you, and VVO unto you if you preach not the Gespel? 1 Cor. 9. 16.Who shall free you from that Wo, or loose your bonds of that necesse, if yet you sit still in silence?
Shall we mind you of Pauls example and charge? No bonds nor afflictions could move him, nor make him shun Acts 20. 23, 24, 27.to declare the whole counsel of God. And how strict is the command, That you take heed to your selves, and all the Acts 20. 28.Flock, over whom the holy Ghost hath made you Bishops? And let it be noted, how pertinent the motive is, Because grievous ver. 29.Wolves are entred in, not sparing the Flock: And will you, at such a time, give over your care for the Flock? Are we not most dreadfully charged, besore God, and our Lord Jesus 1 Tim. 5. 21 2 Tim. 4. 1, 2.Christ, and the elect Angels, to observe these things, and to preach the Word, and be instant, and reprove, rebuke, exhort with all LONG SUFFERING? and shall we flinch at the beginning of any Suffering? Are we not required to continue in Doctrine, as ever we would save our selves, or them 1 Tim. 4. 16.that hear us? Hath not our Lord told us, That he that hath set his hand to the Plough, and looketh back, is not fit for the Luke 9. 62.Kingdom of God?
Let us call upon your Bowels. *Pro. 29. 18Where there is no Vision, the People perish: and can you see them perish, when you have †Luke 15. 17, 18.bread enough, and to spare? Further, Are not you they, that *Phil. 1. 17.are set for the defence and confirmation of the Gospel? and will not you stand to your work, against the †Heb. 12. 3.contradictions of men, that would *Neh. 4. 11.make the work of the Lord to cease? Besides, now is the time for you to †2 Cor. 6. 4, 5, 6, 7.approve your selves to be Ministers of God, in much patience, affliction, necessity, distress, imprisonment, labour, watchings, fastings; by long-suffering, by kindness, by the holyGhost, by Love unfeigned, Word of Truth, Power of God, Armour of Righteousness, on the right hand and on the left. Is not this the Work of your Office and Calling, To watch in all things, 2 Tim. 4. 5. & 2. 3.to suffer afflictions, and thereby to make full proof of your Ministry, and, as good Souldiers of Jesus Christ, to endure hardness? Shall you with Jona, fly to Tarshish, when the Lord sends Jona 1. 2, 3.you about your work? will you not rather say, with resolution, as holy Nehemiah, Shall such a man as I flee? Who Neh. 6. 11.is there, that being as I am, would flee? &c. And as the Apostles, your Leaders, when in your case; And now, Act. 4. 29.Lord, behold their threatnings, and grant unto thy Servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy Word.
Shall we humbly mind you of the relation wherein you stand, and the strong obligations resulting thence? O how much is the glory of Christ, and good of souls, bound up in you? Who will not presage a fatal change, when the †Eccl. 12. 3, 5.keepers of the house tremble, and the strong men bow themselves? Should not the *Gal. 2. 9.Pillars of the Lord's House stand upright under their weight? shall the †1 King. 7. 21.Jachin and Boaz of the Temple be as a man without strength? You are the Champions of the Lord; and shall not you be *Jer. 9. 3.valiant for the Truth upon Earth? and confess your Lord in the face of danger, though in †Mar. 8. 38midst of a wicked and adulterous generation?
Are not you the Shepherds of the Flocks? And shall the true Shepherds flee, as *Joh. 10. 12soon as they see the Wolves, and leave the Sheep? When should they shew their care and diligence, their solicitude and watchfulness, if not when the beasts of prey come to tear, and to destroy?
You are the †Mat. 24. 1 Cor. 4. 1, 2.Stewards and Dispensers of the Mysteries of God, that are to give to all the Family their portion, every one in their season; and blessed is that servant (only) whom his Lord when he cometh shall find so doing: And how will the Master look on you at his return, if you suffer the Family to starve, when he hath left with you for their supply till he come? And hath not God charged, that you †Matth. 25. 1 Pet. 4. 10.trade with your Talents? and as you have received the gift, so you minister the same to others, without which you cannot be good Stewards of the manifold Grace of God? and yet do you let your Talents lie unoccupied?
Are not you the †Eze. 34. 4.Physicians of the Churches? and when should they ply their Patients, unless when in most danger to be infected with the mortal Plague, and common Leprosie of the Times?
In a word, Are you †1 Thes. 2. 7Nurses, and yet deny your Sucklings your brest? *1 Thess. 2. 11.Fathers and yet will not give †Matth. 7. 9, 10.bread to your Sons that ask it? Watchmen of the Lord, and yet neglect your fearful Charge; Who would not tremble at those dreadful Injunctions, Ezk. 3. 17. and 33. 7. whereby we are required to give men warning, or else, if they should perish, their blood shall be required at our hands.
Finally, Hath not the Lord ordained you to be his *1 Cor. 14. 29, 39.Prophets? and shall not your souls be moved, neither at the thundering Charge at the entrance, nor the sweet Promise in the close of those piercing and powerful words, Jer. 1. 17, 18. Thou therefore gird up thy loins, and arise and speak unto them all that I command thee; be not dismayed at their fears, lest I confound thee before them: For behold I have made thee this day, a defenced City, and an iron Pillar, and brazen wals against, &c. And they shall fight against thee, but shall not prevail against thee, for I am with thee, saith the Lord, to deliver thee. The passage seems like the stormy Wind, the amazing Earthquake, and the Fire of God, in the Vision of the Prophet, ending in the 1 King. 19. 11, &c.sweet, soft and still Voice. O let the Words of the living God work either upon your Fear or upon your Hope.
Suffer us to stay you a while with a few serious Questions, which in all humility we do request you, to let your grave considerations dwell for a time upon. We beseech you, let not our importunity be grievous, nor our words seem tedious, in so pondrous and important a case.
But to prevent misunderstandings in what we say, we must be forced more than we would to lengthen, by premising a three-fold Caution.
We would not be so understood in any thing, as if we Caut. 1.did undervalue the Sufferings of our most deserving Brethren, or were unthankful to God, or them, that they have so manfully stood for the TRUTH, and resisted the strong Temptations to sinful compliance, even to the peril of their Families, the loss of Goods and Livelihood, and their beloved Imployment amongst their dear People. We must, we do, and shall while we live, bless the Lord for this their Courage and Constancy; that they have kept the Word of His Patience, and have not denied His Name: And have born their publick Testimony against the Corruptions of the times; though we are forced (with submission) to mind them, what pity it is, that they that did run so well, should not reach to the end of their race.
We would not be understood, as if we did lay the Caut. 2.blame of silence upon all our Fathers and Brethren, that have been thrust out for Conscience towards God. We know there are of them, and that not a few, (Glory be to God) that are harder at work than ever; labouring in season, and out of season, by night and by day; whose Reward is with the Lord, yea, a great Reward, and their praise throughout all the Churches.
We would not have what we speak of the present Ministry, Caut. 3.to be understood de omni. We may not without grievous breach of Charity deny, but some few (alas too few) are pious, sedulous, as well as singularly endowed with learning and abilities; but we speak only of the generality; and would to God their lives and labours would confute our too just complaints.
After these Cautions, we humbly subjoyn a few moving Questions.