Preaching of Christ, Title page – Dedication
PREACHING OF CHRIST. Opened in a SERMON Preached at St. Peters Church in the City of Norwich at an Ordination, Septemb, 22. 1661.
By EDWARD REYNOLDS D. D. and Bishop of NORWICH.
Augustin. Epist. 203.
Non Cogito in Ecclesiasticis Honoribus Tempora ventosa transigere, sed cogito me principi pastorum omnium rationem de Commissis Ovibus redditurum.
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Ratcliffe, for George Thomason at the sign of the Rose and Crown in St. Pauls Church-Yard. 1662.
To the Reverend my dearly beloved Brethren the Dean, Prebendaries, and the rest of the Clergy of the Cathedral Church and City of NORWICH.
REverend and beloved Bretheren. Ever since the preaching of this plain Sermon, I have been importuned Quotidiano convicio (if I may use the Orators expression) to make it publick.Quintilion. I have at last suffered my self to be overcome by the perswasions of my friends. My chief end therein hath been, That I might provoke my younger brethren to make it the main design of their Ministry to render the Lord Jesus, His divine Person, His sacred Offices, His heavenly Doctrine, His blessed Example, His spiritual Graces, the fellowship of his sufferings, the power of his resurrection, Phil. 3. 8, 10.the excellency of his knowledge, Eph. 3. 8, 18, 19the unsearchable riches of his love, & al the mysteries of his Kingdom, amiable in the eyes of their hearers, As it was foretold of him,Hag. 2. 7. That he should be the desire of all Nations, Cant. 5. 10, 16.the chiefest of ten thousand, and altogether lovely. That in preaching the Law, they may lead men to Christ for mercy to pardon the Transgressions, and for Grace to obey the commands of it. That in preaching the Gospel, they may direct men unto Christ for Faith, to believe the promises of the Covenant, for he is the Author of our Faith: Heb. 12. 2. Col. 1. 27.For Hope, to wait for the fulfilling of them, for he is unto us the Hope of Glory; and for Love, to in flame that purity and holinesse which they are intended to kindle in us, for the Love of Christ constraineth us. 2 Cor. 5. 14.That by the awe and dread of the Name of Christ, 2 Cor. 5. 20.in whose stead they speak,1 Pet. 5. 4. and unto whom,Heb. 13. 17. as the chief Shepherd of the sheep, they must give an account, they may be deterred from all those ways of passion, ostentation and vanity, whereby men are sometimes transported to preach themselves rather then Christ,Jer. 23. 16, 22, 26. and the conceptions of their own heart rather then his counsel,1 Sam. 2. 17. and thereby provoke the people to abhor the offering of the Lord. I have taken the liberty of dedicating it unto you, that I might thereby testifie the Love and Honour I owe your persons, the value I set upon your learned and pious Labours, and the real thanks which I return unto you, for the great Love which you have expressed towards my person, and assistance which you have afforded me in mine attendance on the service of that Diocess. And I hope it will not be grievous unto you, or offensive unto any, if after the Example of the Antient Bishops in the primitive and purer ages of the Church,foreign who were wont to sit with their Clergy and preside in an Ecclesiastical Senate,Ignat. I shall in matters of weight and difficulty intreat the advice and assistance of you who are Presbyteri urbis, foreignin order to the more safe,Origen. judicious,Consessus Cleri. Cyprian. regular,Senatus Ecclesiae. Hieron. vid. Cyprian: passim. Epist. 6. 18, 19, 24, 28, 31, 32, 33, 35, 40, 46, 58, 66, 71, 72. and inoffensive determining of them. And so I commend you to the Grace of God, and remain
Your most loving Brother and fellow Labourer in the service of Christ and his Church, Ed. Norwich.