Apology for the Ministry and its Maintenance, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Many uses of instruction arising from the doctrine.
1. HEnce we may see the absolute necessity of a Gospel-Ministry. Take away this salt, and you have the world stinking in sin presently. The whole world not only falleth into, but lyeth in wickednesse, 1. Ioh. 5. 19. and there would lye and …ot, to all eternity, were it not for this …alt. Take away this Ministry, and ye take the sunne out of the firmament. For what is the world without the Ministry of Gods word, but the picture of hell, nay very hell upon earth, wherein will b… no order, and eternall horrour. That of the Constantinopolitans is all most more common then that it needs to be repeated, It were better that the sun did not shine, than that Chrysostome should not teach. Take away this Ministry, and you take away all the true knowledg of the true God, the heat of piety is extinguished, ba…barisme entereth, and you shall presently reap a large harvest … the weeds of all error and prophanenesse. There will be neither soveraign nor subject, Mistresse nor mayde, but all things will presently be in a confusion, which very miseryes our ancesto… did sadly experience in the dark night of popery, to their great …ffl…ction. And not only they in their Papisticall, but also we in part see in our Atheisticall days, wherein the Ministry and Ministers of the Gospell being set at naught, he hath broke loose, and a numberlesse crew of Locusts have sprung out of the bottomlesse pit, assuming to themselves the names of Arrians, Arminians, Socinians, Antinomians, Anabaptists, Familists, Antiscripturists, Antisabbatarians, Antitrinitarians, Libertines, Erastians, Levellers, Mortalists, Millenaryes, Enthusiasts, Separatists, Semiseparatists, Reggus Comment. de statu Angliae.Quakers and many more of the same brood, upon all which and the present erroneous state of our English Church, a stranger hath set a black mark▪ England (saith he) in four years, is become a Lerna and sink of all errors, and sectaries. No Countrey from the foundation of the world hath brought forth, and brought up, so many monstrous births as it hath done. Nay, in a word, take away the Ministry, and you take away faith in in God, prayer to God, and Salvation given by him. Rom. 10. 15. 1 Tim. 4. 16. By this men are turned from darknesse to light, and from the power of Sathan to God. Ier. 23. 22. Luk 1. 16, 17. By this Christ hath propagated his Church, overthrown the Kingdom of Sathan, and the powers of darknesse, viz. paganisme, idolatry, superstition, and ignorance, Luk 10. 18, 19. This stops the blasphemous mouths, and cuts out the very tongues of that pestilent generation of Iesuites, and Romish agents: Therefore when God will hasten the downfall of Anti-Christ, he will not doe it by a secular power, but by the spirit of his mouth, 2. Thes. 2. 8. that is, By the power of the Gospell preacht, by Ministers not Magistrates, by whom also he hath founded true religion, kept it upon its Legs, when it was founded, and restored it when it was fallen. To these he hath given (that which he hath denyed to the greatest Monarchs of the world) the Keys of the Kingdom of heaven, Mat. 16. 19. Ioh. 20. 23. So that what they bind on earth, is said to be bound in heaven, and what they loose, to be loosed also. Hence some one not amisse inferrs that a Minister rightly discharging his office, hath not only preheminence above all other private persons, but even Kings and Princes; to which Chrysostome gives his suffrage; That the very Angells of God in heaven in this may give place to the Angells of God, which are upon earth, who although they be themselves in heaven, yet have no Keys to open to others. Take away this Palladium i. e. come who will, and take away our place, and nation. Behold the disasters and disorders, and the omnifarious calamitousnesse of those times, wherein Israel was without the knowledg of the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law, 2. Chron. 15. 3. 5. Take away this light, ye have nothing but stumbling. Ioh. 11. 10. Take away Pastours, and ye have men, like sheep wandring; Take away these guides, and ye have all ditches every where filled, with the carcasses of the blind, that are fallen there. Take away this light, and let us see what solid comfort, innumerable gold, uninterrupted prosperity, and friendly society will afford. Take away this Arke, and then shew me the glory of Israel. Ignorance and impiety goe together in the Gospell texture, Eph. 4. 18, and there is but a letter between Ignorants, and Covenant-breakers, Rom. 1. 31. If ye would find cruelty,foreign search the dark places of the earth, for they are full of it. Ps. 74. 20. Come see and heare the wise man's whoremonger bewayling himself at last, Prov. 5. 13, 14. I have not obeyed the voyce of my teachers. Behold the root of bitternesse, the fountain of his sin, Nor inclined mine eare to them that instructed me. Hin… illae lacl…ymae, her's the ground of the complaint. Wherefore the Lord promiseth faithfull pastors as a great blessing, and singular kindnesse, I…. 30. 20, 21. The Lord will give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction. Behold the …ore? But thy teachers shall not be removed into Corners any more, thine eys shall see thy teachers. Behold the salve? Although we suffer hunger, and thirst, and adversity, for tryall and purgation, yet if God will be present with us in our teachers, who may strengthen the weak, cheare the sad, refresh the faint, and teach us the ways of the Lord, our hunger will be as good as plenty, our adversity will ou…-shine prosperity, and our thirst as waged by the waters of the Sanctuary. And on the other hand, as hunger and thirst are blessings with the word, so is a famine of the word the greatest curse on this side hell, though in the midst of plenty and prosperity, so is it represented, Am. 8. 11. Is. 29. 9. 10. what is the body to the soul; no more comparable in value, then the cloaths are to the body. And so consequently what is the sust…ntation, and nourishment of the body, to that of the soul? Wheat is but chaffe to the bread of life; Wine is but water to the droppings of the Sanctuary. Honey is but Waxe, nay, very bitternesse to the word of God; Ps. 19. 10. And so consequently what is a famine of bread, or of water, to a famine of the word of God, which is the most exce…lent food of the most excellent substance in this world, even our precious souls.
2. This acquaints us with our miserable condition, by nature. It gives us to understand, that we are altogether destitute of the salt of Mortification and Repentance. If we were sound, and could so preserve our selves, what needed we this salt: what unsavory, filthy, stinking, corrupt carcases are men, till they be seasoned with this heavenly salt! Let us therefore bless God for this Seasoner, and that he hath caused us to be brought forth, and brought within the sound of the glorious Gospell: and pray with all earnestness, that, as God hath out of his mere goodness ordained a Ministry for us, that he would preserve it amongst us; as he hath set, it up, so that he would keep it standing, whilest the world it self shall stand.
3. This acquaints us with the dignity and efficacy of the sacred Ministry; of all that serve and minister to Christ, his Ambassadours are his chiefest servants, and choisest ministers. Their ministry is most excellent, because they minister to God, Heb. 5. 1. and that, not in the things pertaining to this life, but in the things that respect the Kingdome of God, and the everlasting Salvation of men: this ministry is called a thing not small, Numb. 16. 19. …ay, it is called an honour, Heb. 5. 4. nay the Prophet puts a beauty with an admiration upon the very feet of the Gospell-ministers, Isa. 52. 7. How beautifull are the feet of them that bring good tydings of good, that publish salvation! how could the beauty of them be exprest more fully, than by such an elegant particle of admiration? and yet, if the beauty of their feet must have an admiration borrowed to express them, by what shall we express the beauty of their faces? Learn hence, what a glorious treasure the Gospell is, what a glorious Office the Preaching of it is, what glorious and honourable servants the preachers of it; they have been a delight to the very Kings of the earth, who in token of honour and reverence, have called them fathers, 2 Kings 6. 21. nay, they have not onelyonly spoken reve…ntly of them, but also comfortably to them, 2 Chron. 30. 22. and 35. 2. wicked Saul himself could not but reverence holy Samuel, 1 Sam. 15. and graceless Herod could not but respect the gracious Baptist▪ Marl 6. 20. the Apostle Paul was of so much worth to the Galattan▪ that they received him as an Angel of God, even as Chr…st …esus (… his Ambassadour he was) Gal. 4. 14. Behold Corn…lius the Ce… turion falling down before Peter the Apostle, and worshipping him, Act. 10. 25. Oh stupendious humanity, and humility! a Roman Captain, a Gentleman Souldier stooping to a poor Apostle, and offering him honour, not onelyonly more than could be exspected, but than durst be accepted: Lo Alexander the grand Tenant of the Universe (whose ranging soul knew no confines, whose stately spirit scorn'd to own any Monarch) stooping before, and doing reverence unto Iaddus the Iewish High-priest, Iosephus, Antiquit. l. 11. c. 8. It is not much that Aqutla and Priscilla should expose their lives to danger for Paul's sake. Rom. 16. 3, 4. but yet it spoke their great affection to, and estimation of him. Observe the reverend carriage of the noble Obadiah▪ Governour of the Kings houshould, towards Elijah a poor persecuted Prophet, 1 Kings 18. 7. He fell on this face, and said, Art thou that my Lord Elisah? and not only him did he reverence, but manifested his great affections towards an hundred of the Lords Prophets, even with the danger of his life, ver. 13. such was the honour sometimes thought due to the men of God. Ministers are gifts, not carnall and temporall, but spirituall: they are part of Christs purchase, and a singular fruit of his ascension, who went up into heaven, that they might come down upon the earth, Eph. 4. 10. 11. Surely the gift of the Sun and salt, are a mere nothing, if compared with this heavenly Largess. By this Ministry the glory of God is manifested, faith is begotten and nourished, charity kindled and enflamed: by this the Ignorant are instructed, the idle are provoked, the unconstant are fastened to the truth, as it were nailes, Eccles 12. 11. the wicked are convinced, the weak are confirmed, the root of wickedness cast up, and the branches cut off. This Gospell-ministry, in the Apostles minde, farre ou…-goes the Ministry of the Law, 2 Cor. 3. 7, 8, 9. and Iohn Baptist (who himself was scarce a Gospell-preacher, had yet, because of his more then ordinary nearness thereunto, his preheminence, not onelyonly of the silken Courtiers in our Saviours account, but of all the Prophets his p…edecessors, Matth. 11. 7, 8, 9, 10. And yet the meanest of the faithfull Ministers of Christ (in regard of the clearness of the Doctrine taught by him) is greater then he. The great excellency and dignity of the Sacred Ministry will easily appear, if we consider,
1. The Authour of it, not man, but God. The commendation of the Scriptures is, that they are foreign, 2 Tim. 3. 16. The commendation of Believers is, that they are foreign, Isa. 54▪ 13. The same authority commends the Ministry of the Word▪ Eph. 4. 11. foreign, Christ gave some Apostles, &c. He put… his Ministers into Commission, Matth. 28. 19, 20. And Iesus came and spake unto them saying, All power is given to me in heaven and in earth; Go ye therefore, and teach all Nations, baptizing them. And S. Paul magnifies his Ministry by this authority, 1 Cor. 1. 1. 2 Cor. 1. 1. and Gal 1. 1. Paul an Apostle, not of men, nor by man, but by Iesus Christ, and God the father, It is not mans appointment, but an Ordinance of God; not a humane fiction, but a Divine Institution.
2. The Antiquity of it, which also commends the goodness of a good thing. The Ministry of the Church is no new Invention, but an ancient Ordination: for it had been even from the beginning, which the Churches of God have not wanted in any age, neither before, nor under, nor since the Law; Before the Law were the Patriarchs, who instructed their Families in the Worship of God, and propagated Religion to their Posterity: Under the Law God had his Priests, and Levites, and Prophets, who had their unctions, missions, and Commissions from him: And since the Law foreign, Christ hath given Apostles, Pastors, Evangelists, Teachers.
3. The Ministers of it: the Patriarchs, the Prophets, Christ himself, and his Apostles. Isaiah was of the blood: oyal, and yet a Minister of this ministry: King Solomon commends himself to the Church of God under the name of Koheleth: and amongst other his Titles, seems to glory first, and most in that of The Preacher, Eccles. 1. 1 The words of the Preacher, and then it follows, the son of David, King in Ierusal…m. Noah the Monarch of the whole world was a Preacher of righteousness, 2 Pet. 2. 5. Nay, Christ Iesus himself, God blessed for evermore, came to minister, Mark. 10. 45. and to be the Masterpreacher of the Gospel, Heb. 1. 2. The Apostles and Teachers that have succeeded him, being set up by him (1 Cor. 12. 28.) are also honourable: For what greater honour can there be in Court, then to succeed in that place and employment, in which the King's son himself deigned sometime to be.
4. The Object about which it is conversant: not the body▪ but the soul; not humane Laws, secular concernments, but spirituall things relating to the worship, service, and glory of God, and the salvation of soules. Physicians binde up bruised bodies, Lawyers patch up broken Estates, whilest Christ Ministers bind up broken hearts, and salve wounded consciences. If therefore the body he unworthier then the soul, the earth be content to be below the heavens, externalls give place to eternalls; parity of reason will prefer this sacred function before, and set it above all others.
5. The Supernaturall Effects thereof, such as the Conversion, Sanctification, and Salvation of man; In all which the dignity of the sacred Ministry does admirably appear, and in the dignity of the ministry doth also appear the dignity of the Ministers. Neither let any one say, they are servants, they are but Ministers, and therefore not to be honoured; for that derogates not awhit from their honour: If they be servants, they are the servants of the Church of God; If they be Ministers, they are Ministers of Christ, the Lord of heaven, earth, and hell, They are not the servants of Kings, but of the King of Kings, to whom the glorious Angells do gladly Minister; neither are they of the meanest of Christ's servants, put in some low place of service, but they serve him in the distribution of the most precious treasure, even Gospell-grace, 2 Cor. 4. 7. now to be the Treasurer of the Lord, is a greater honour then to be Lord-Treasurer. And if there be honour in the meanest Office performed for God, as he wing wood, and drawing water for the Sanctuary, and keeping the door of the house of God, Psal. 84. 10. surely the highest Offices cannot be dishonourable. All the things that render any service honourable, do concurre to make this great employment truly honourable. 1. VVe serve an honourable Master, the Lord Iehorah, the Monarch of heaven and earth. 2. Our service is in it self excellent and honourable. 3. Our wages and reward is the highest of all others, viz. a Crown of glory; God does not onelyonly honour his faithfull ministers that honour him, in this life; but he has reserved a more exceeding weight of glory for them against the time to come. Oh what admirable honour will be given of God at the last day to his faithfull Ministers! Then shall stand forth before God, and his Angels, and all men, Andrew bringing with him his Achaians, whom by his ministry he gained to Christ; Iohn with his Asians. Thomas with his Indians; Peter with his Iews; Paul with his Gentiles; and all the pious and painfull Ministers of Christ, with the children that God hath given them in their respective Ages and Generations, and these shall be their crown of glorying, in the presence of Iesus Christ at his coming, 1 Thes. 2. 19.
What remains therefore, but that we give such honour to our Teachers, as is due to the Ambassadours and Ministers of the most high God, For although they be servants, yet are they his servants, whom to serve is to raign; Look not upon them as slaves, but as such servants, to whom honour, reverence, and obedience is due, even by the command of God 1 Tim. 5. 57. Tit. 2. 15. Heb. 13. 17. 1 Cor. 16. 15, 16. The Apostle Paul desires the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. 5. 12, 13. not onelyonly to know, but to acknowledg their Teachers, nay, to love them with a high strain of affection, even to an Hyperbole, to esteem them highly in love, which Translation yet comes short of the expression, foreign. Let us imitate the Galatians, whose very eyes were not so dear in their heads, as the Apostle Paul was in their eyes, Gal 4. 15.
But here a double Caution is needfull. 1. Let us take heed lest these Encomiums and commendations of the Ministry lay in us the grounds of pride, lest we be puffed up with the dignity of our Office. And to this purpose 'twill not be amiss to consider, that the operation and efficacy of our Ministry is not from our selves, but from God, Act. 3. 12, 13. 3 Cor. 3. 5, 6, 7. We are onelyonly Ministers, not Lords of mens faith, but Ministers by whom they believe; Our planting and watering avail nothing unless God give▪ encrease. The Preacher beats the ears, but God alone breaks the heart; The Preacher teacheth, but God gives knowledg; the Preacher perswades, but God inclines; Iohn baptiseth with water, but Christ onelyonly with the Holy Ghost, and with fire, Matth. 3. 11. 2. Let us take need of dishonouring this honourable calling by unsuiteable lives, lives led in drunkenness, idleness, ignorance, profaneness, heresie, pride, covetousness, uncleanness, sports and pastimes; let us take need of being unsavory salt, of speaking silken words, and things to please mens fancies; and so proving rather honey then salt to the sinners, as they were Ezech. 13. 10, 11. They that are such, teach others the things which themselves contemn; They that reprove others, had themselves need to be irreprovable; For,
VVho can abide the traitrous Gracchi, when
They make complaints against seditious men?
Shall Clodius condemn Adulterie;
Or Catiline Cethegus, worse then hee?
Certainly he must needs strike faintly upon the Consciences of sinners, who has his own Conscience polluted with gross sinnes; and how shall he inveigh against the vices of others, who fears shame for his own? How shall be teach well that lives ill; or season others, who is himself altogether unsavoury? How can the covetous Minister press his people to heavenly mindedness; or, with what face can the drunken Doctor commend to another a sober course of life? Or, if he do, 'tis seldome with good success; A wicked man may indeed preach against wickedness, but will hardly preach it down, except he preach in deed; He that attempts to take a mote out of his brothers eyes, must either cast the beam out of his own first, or else he will certainly be entertained with the Proverb, Physician heal thy self. He is a Pharisaicall Teacher that saies, and does nothing, Mat. 23. 3. such take away all authority from their Preachings, plucking down with their life what they build with their language; For, who will obey, when the Preachers teach disobedience? Of all creatures upon earth degenerate men are the worst; of all men, wicked Christians; and of all Christians, wicked Ministers; They are the shame of the Clergy, the worst of Varlets, not Pastors but impostors, not Doctors but Seducers, not Dispensers but Dispersers, the increment and Instruments of Sathan, and the very picture of that wicked one; they are like the Statue of Mercury, that shew others the way, which themselves walk not; like bells that call men to hear the word and will of God, but themselves want ears; like spunges, that cleanse other things, but remain unclean themselves; like a musicall Instrument, that creates delight to others, but it self is sensless of any; or like the Shipwrights that made an Ark to save Noah and his Family in, but themselves were drowned. No wonder (saies a learned Authour) if that polity be made a prey, and brought to naught, whose VVatchmen are blinde, Nicol. de Cleman. giis, Epist. 75. p. 223.whose Preachers dumb, whose Champions lame, whose Physicians sick, whose Teachers untaught, and whose Guides are ignorant of the way. Hence springs the ruine of the Church, the corruption of manners, a sink of sinne, a deluge of Prophaneness, the sterving of Charity, the hazarding of Faith, the debasement of Religion, the poyson of pestilent Schisms, the contempt of the Ministry▪ and all Ecclesiasticall Orders, and Ordinances. Hence it is that the people are so wicked, for how should there choose but be whoredome in Ephraim, and defilement in Israel, when the Priests commit lewdness, Hos. 6. 9, 10. The actions of publick persons are influentiall; and this gave occasion to that witty conjecture of Charles the fifth, who guest at the state of a City, or Commonwealth, by three things, by considering their Pastor, their Pedagogue, their Pretor: The Church depends upon the Pastor, the School upon the Master, the Court upon the Pretor, who are the salt of their respective places; Such therefore as is the Preacher, is the Church; as is the Pedagogue, so are the children; as is the Pretor, so are the citizens. Good reason therefore why God requires holiness in those especially, that come thus nigh unto him, Lev. 10. 2, 3.
Neither does it mitigate to say, that these Ministers are learned, but rather aggravate. Learning dwells ill in an evill man: it is like wine in a poysoned cup, or a sword in a mad mans hand. Dexterity of wit, the liberall Arts, the knowledge of the Tongues, and humane Learning are indeed excellent gifts from God; but they are all miserably prophaned in such a man. A Religious dunce is better then he: And it comes to pass by the just Iudgment of God, that the devill works more powerfully in none, then in wicked and Apostate Ministers; insomuch that they are called Devills, Iohn 6. 70, 71. the worst name in the world: Such do not onelyonly invite, but even compell, by their example: The examples of Minnisters are cogent, Gal. 2. 14. Christ therefore threatens these unsavoury salts with sad Iudgment, Luke 14. 34. 35. which judgment that we may the better understand, let us consider it in these following particulars.
1. Vnsavoury salt hath this inconvenience, that its lost nature cannot be repayred. There is no further salt wherewith this unsavoury salt can be seasoned. The unhappinesse of it is therefore very unhappy. The best things in their corruption become the worst. The best nourishment becomes the worst excrement, the best wine is corrupted into the sharpest vinegar. Degenerate Ministers are hardly cured; for what remains with which they may be restored and seasoned? If the people be unsavory, God hath given Ministers to …eason them. But if themselves be corrupt and unsavory, what cure shall we find for them. These vines if they be fruitfull, are the best trees in Gods garden, and the worst, if barren. Ezech. 15.
2. Unsavoury salt is unprofitable. It is not fit for the earth, for it will not suffer it to be fruitfull, not for the dunghill, for it will not suffer it to …ructify. So unprofitable are unsavoury Ministers, who are therefore deposed from their Ministry, and discarded by the Churches censure: other things in their corrupt state are good for something, as degenerate wine generates vinegar, and the excrement of nourishment, nourishes land. But infatuated salt is so unprofitable, as that it is also hurtfull; so hurtfull as that it makes the very dunghills themselves unprofitable. Such vile, unprofitable hurtfull creatures are Apostate Ministers and corrupt; to whom God therefore threatneth, rejection, deposition, and contempt. Hos. 4. 6. Mall 2. 8, 9 Ezr. 2. 62.
3. Vnsavoury salt is troden under foot of men, which is the height of ignominy and shame. So Ecebolius the apostate cryed out, tread upon me unsavory salt. The just judgment of God causes their Ministry to be contemned, whose lives are contaminated. Thus the sacrifices of the Lord were abhorred, because of the vilenes…e of the sacrificers. 1. Sam. 2. 17. Nay, as though the treadings under feet of men were not enough miserable, the proverb hath layd prophaned Ministers lawer then the earth, which sayth, that Hell is paved with the helmets of princes, and the shavings of priests. Woe be to that Pastor, that is not true, but treacherous, not lively and diligent, but dull and sloathfull, who is rather the counterfe…t of a Pastor than indeed such, who seeds not his people, but his purse, and his paunch: wo to these idol shepheards, the sword shall be upon their arme, and upon their right eye, their arm shall be clean dryed up, and their right eye utterly darkned. Zach. 11. 17. God will weaken their strength, and infatuate their judgments. Such are the punishments of these wicked, unsavou…y, unprofitable Ministers.
2. Another sort of unsavory salt, and gifted Brethren (as they call themselves) though how barren of … good gift, all may see. These like the Pa…rioges Chickens, run with the shells upon their heads. T…us the little ducklings fall a swimming as soon as they are well hatcht, and the Lyons whelps teare their own passage into the world: But such hasty burths are lightly blind. There is an incurable itch of teaching, which possesses many wild heads in these days, who think they know that which indeed they are ignorant of, nay, are ignorant of their ignorance. In all other arts and sciences, men use first to learn and after to teach. But in divinity we have many that teach what they never learn'd, and become the Masters of fools, before they have been the Schollars of wise men. And hence it is that this waxen divinity of theirs receives any impression, and they themselves are metamorphosed into many shapes. These do not season souls, but poyson them, not edifye, but destroy them, not communicate instruction, but convey infection. These are plants without sap, wells without water, starrs without light, bubbles broken with a blast, and waves of the sea, soming out their own shame, quorum prophetia non est foreign sed foreign these prophets are fools, these spirituall men are mad. This liberty of prophesying, this root of mani…old heresyes is to be rooted out, as that which hath eaten as a Gangrene, and infected many. Oh that some Hercules will oppose himself to this many headed Monster? many complain of this evill, but few put to their hand for the reforming of it: So that it may justly be feared, that whilst the infectors are spared, more will be infected. The true shepheards are an abomination to these Egyptians. Egyptians? Nay they are worse then Egyptians: For the Egyptians tempered their clay with straw to make bricke of, But these have neither straw nor stubble, neither wit nor learning, nor any other materialls to build with, but dawbe with untempered mortar. These like Iereboam, one of the worst men in the world, make priests of the meanest of the people. Nay, as Caligula made his horse Consul, so these make their asses preachers, who if they can do nothing else, yet like Balaams asse, can reprove the madnesse of the prophets. These are the men that give mouldy bread instead of Ambrosia, vinegar instead of Nectar, and poysons instead of preservatives they mixe tares with their wheat, and dregs with their wine, preach without pains, and are heard without profit. They dream dreams, and then tell them, they cause the people to erre by their lyes and by their lightnesse, when God sent them not, nor commanded them, therefore they doe not profit the people at all. Ier. 23. 32. Away ye unsavory crew of senselesse, saplesse, saltlesse dunees, Anabaptists, Collyers, Saltmarshes, Haggards. &c.
In all this tribe, this crew, what will you call't;
There is not to be found one corn of salt.
This brood of vipers have come forth in a numerous multitude, in this decrepit old age of the world, doting upon opinions, and under the pretext of piety, going about to overthrow, Scriptures, Sacraments, universityes, all order and ordinances, to confound heaven and hell, with more than a Gigantick confidence, and whorish impudence. Let the heavens tremble, and the earth be amazed, and both be ashamed, that this our Brittain should bring forth, and bring up such monsters. Are these the returns of so many incomes from above? Are these the fruits of so much patience and love? Do we thus require the Lord, a people foolish and unwise? There hath been a famous Church, and a renowned Ministry in these parts of the world. Nay, and there is still a Church and a Ministry, although it appear to be clouded, or rather can not appear, because it is clouded. But let us lift up our hearts, and eyes to Christ Iesus, whose Ministry it is, for although it be clouded, yet he will at length cause those clouds to vanish▪ although it lye in the dust for the present, yet he will not let it be choakt there. But to the purpose. They that are sensible of the weightinesse of the ministeriall calling, will not run upon their own heads, nay they will abide thrusting, Mat. 9. 37. Moses undertook the charge of Gods people with reluctancy, and Ieremiah after many excuses, and so do they that know they are about a work of continuall pains, inevitable danger, and implacable hatred. And therefore we have Moses sent by God, Exod. 3, 10. Aaron s…parated that he should sanctify the most holy things. 1. Chr. 23. 13. The prophets called, the Apostles chosen. Ioh. 6. 70. In a word, all Ministers are sent. Rom. 10. 15. How shall they preach except they be sent? That is, they can not lawfully preach. For although it be evident that many doe preach that are not sent, yet by what right, by what authority, with what good conscience can they preach, except they be sent? No one can undertake and exercise the publick employment of the Ministry, except he can say with the Apostle, that he is made a Minister of the Gospell▪ Eph. 3. 7. he must stay for a call, lest that be charged upon us. Ier. 23. 21. I have not sent them, yet they ranne. Which is yet further plain from the practise of all in old, and New Testament times, who diligently expected and observed a mission or call to this sacred employment. No man of them took this honour to himself (that is, rightly, and safely) Heb. 5. 4. That of Luther therefore deserves golden letters, Sit still till God call; Nay, although thou wert wiser than Solomon or Daniel, yet if thou be not called, flye the office, as hell it self; and speak not a word. If God need thee▪ he will call thee; if he call thee not, thy knowledge will not burst thee &c. For God doth never prosper the labours of them, whom he never called to labour; For although they may preach things in themselves wholsome; yet they do not heal, things in themselves profitable, yet they do not profit the people. But on the contrary, great hath been the successe of those that have gone at God's sending, and preacht at Gods bidding.
Away with the unfixed Anabaptists then, who determine any self-ordeiner of what condition and calling soever, to the pulpit promiscuously without any proofe of a lawfull call; and by this means have brought in a kind of barbarous disorder, and babylonish confusion into the Church of Christ: which confusion God abhorrs, as appears by his reiterated complaints. Ier. 14. 14. and 23. 21, 32. and 27. 15. Christ reproves the Angell of Thyatira for suffering Iezabel, who called her self a proph…esse, (but was none) to teach and to seduce many, Rev. 2. 20. God hath also punished such usurpers with exemplary judgments, witnesse, Uzzah. 1 Sam. 6. 6, 7: Uzziah the King. 2 Chro. 26. 16, 17. Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who, for offering to arrogate to themselves the priesthood, were swallowed up alive, into a grave made without hands. Numb. 16. 10, 32.
4. Inference follows. If there be a Ministry, then there must be Schools of learning, and Universityes. If the end be allowed, the means conducing to that end must not be denied. It is now necessary, that they, that are intended for the sacred Ministry, be instructed and principled in the Schools, those Nurseries for the Church: As an Orchard, though it be excellently prun'd, manur'd, and managed, and set with the choicest and fruitfullest trees in the world, wil decay, and at length come to nothing, except there be a Nursery of young plants, which may be placed and succeed, in the roome of the barren and dead trees: So the sacred Ministry cannot long endure sale and firme, except there be some formed, educated, instructed in the Schools; and fitted to succeed in the employment; For Ministeriall gifts are not now adayes inspired into men immediately and miraculously, but mediately gotten by reading, meditation, study, and diligent pains, as appeares 1 Tim. 4. 13, 15. Hence it hath been the care of pious Princes, to found, endow, and maintain Schools and Universities, in which young Students might be seasoned with, and educated in piety and good Learning, who might afterwards be Champions to defend the truth, and put to flight Errours and Heresies. And therefore let it be the care of all who have power in their hands, strongly to defend, and diligently to preserve the Revenues, and Priviledges of Schools and Universities, that the glory of our Church may not fade, but be still more and more glorious,: unless you will be worse than the uncircumcised Philistines, who are observed to have spared the Colledge of the Prophets, Isa. 10. 5.
Away then with Familists▪ Anabaptists, VVeigelians, &c. who rail against Learning, and Learned men at this rate. They are unsit for the Ministry who are trained in Schools, and taught of men; There is no knowledge of Christ in Universities, They are the Nurseries of wickedness, the Plagues of the Common-wealth. Oh the Aegyptian darkness that hath overspread the mindes of men! Oh Impudence, like that of Pope Paul the second! who condemned them all for Hereticks, not onelyonly that were Students, but (whose hatred of Learning was so deadly) tha… he pronounced all them Hereticks▪ that either in earnest or in jest should name an University; who therefore commanded the Romans not to suffer their children to converse in Books, or to study for Learning, saying, it were enough, if they could write and read. These men are not more like this Paul the Pope, than he was unlike to Paul the Apostle, who himself was brought up at the feet of learned Gamaliel, and commends Reading, Study, and Meditation to his Son Timothy, as you saw before.
But if there be found the seeds of sinne in these Seminaries, let them be purged, and not spoyled; refined, and not consumed; made better, and not unmade. Let corruption be drained; abuses be taken away, and the use of them remain.
5. It appears hence, that that is a sound and savoury Ministry which bites and pie…ceth the consciences of the hearers. The Masse indeed is toothlesse, and cannot bite, but Salt is of a b…ing and sharp nature. Nothing torments a sinner like the free and …incere Preaching of the Word, Hence it comes to pass, that the sincere and savoury Preachers do purchase to themselves all contempt, reproach and hatred; which gave occasion to Luther (who knew well enough what salt preaching was) to define preaching thus, It is a deriving of the hatred of the whole world upon ones self. Hence it was, that the world hated and persecuted Christ and his Disciples, because they testified of it, that the works, thereof were evill, Iohn 7. 7. and 15. 19. The Gospell, because of its sharpness, has alwayes been the scorn and derision of the stinking world, requiring the Mortification of the flesh, self-deniall, and other things unpleasant to corrupt nature. And although these sharp Corrosives, these bitter Pills do heal and purge, yet such is the tenderness and softness of the most, that they had rather rot in their sinnes, than to be sharply reproved, although that be for salvation. But this is an infallible Argument of a wicked man, and a heart full of putrifying fores, not to be able to abide the salt of sound Reproof, witness Ahab, 1 Kings 18. …4. Amaziah Amos 7. 10. and Faelix, Acts 24. 25. No wonder then if they have filthy hearts, and stinking lives, who studiously put away from them this salt, withdraw themselves from this Ministry.
As for us, Brethren in the ministry, let us not faint, but go on with chear and courage, thanking God that we are worthy to be hated of the world, for it is a good proof of our sincerity to be so entreated. And if this be to be vile, to season the corrupt world with the savoury Word of God, Oh that we might be yet more vile! let us love study, preach sound doctrin, which although it be sharp, yet its savoury, although it wound the conscience, yet it will heal, although it be bitter in the mouth yet in the Conclusion will prove sweeter than the honey and the honey-comb. Although the Ploughshare of the Gospell touch upon our very soules, yet let it be welcome, if by this means our spirituall weeds and thistles may be rooted out. Christs Spouse is a Dove, Cant. 5. 2. Now Doves love salt exceedingly. Oh then ye Christians, fly to the Congregations, where this Salt is to be had, as doves to the windows.