Sermons, Sermon 5
THE FIFT SERMON.
II. COR. CHAP. V.
verse 16 Wherefore hencfoorth knowe wee no man after the fleſh: yea, though wee hauehave knowne CHRIST after the fleſh, yet now hencefoorth know wee Him no more.
verse 17 Therefore, if anie man bee in CHRIST, hee is a new creature: olde thinges are paſſed away: Beholde, all thinges are become new.
verse 18 And all things are of GOD, who hath reconciled vsus vntounto Himſelfe by IESUS CHRIST, and hath giuen vntounto vsus the ministerie of reconciliation.
YEe hearde the laſt daye, in the laſt part of this Chapter, the reaſons ſet down wherfore a man is bound and obliſhed in conſcience to liue to God, to conſecrate his life, his death, and all his actions to Ieſus Chriſt: to wit, Firſt the louelove of Chriſt conſtraineth and obliſheth vsus ſo to louelove Him againe, that we be content euen to bee fooliſh to this world for His ſake. Another argument was taken from our own eſtate wherein we were when He ſhewed this louelove of His vponupon vsus, wee were dead in ſinne and treſpaſſes. So this miſerable condition that we did lie in, which was the beginning of Hell & euerlaſting damnation, ſhoulde mooue vsus neuer to thinke on pleaſing of our ſelues, but onelyonly to pleaſure Him who hath deliuered vsus from ſuch damnation. The third argument was taken from the purpoſe which the Lord had in dying for vsus: to wit, that the life that was bought by His death ſhould bee conſecrated to Him, and employed in His ſeruice: for, beeing once redeemed by Him, we are no more our own men▪ but His who hath bought vsus. And therefore, as the ſeruant ſetteth his eye vpō his lord, waiting to pleaſure him: euen ſo in all our actions with our whole minde wee ſhoulde bee ſet to pleaſure our Lord, who bought vsus, when we were bond-ſlaues to ſinne and Sath in. Otherwiſe we ſhal fall abacke to that damnation from which wee were redeemed.
Now to come to this Text that we hauehave read: in the firſt verſe thereof we hauehave the reſolution of the Apoſtle Paule, and the purpoſe which hee taketh concerning this matter. Seeing CHRIST his LORD hath ſet Himſelfe to pleaſe him, and to redeeme him from death, and to purchaſe life to him: his reſolution is to giuegive Him againe that life which Hee hath purchaſed to him to employ the whole life of him in the ſeruice of that Lord who hath redeemed him. Therefore, Brethren, before I goe forward, learne a leſſon of this generall. If this was the purpoſ… CHRIST in dying for vsus, & in dying ſo ſhamefull a death, that we for whom He died ſhould liue to Him, and not to our ſelues, our purpoſe ſhoulde bee on the other part to giuegive Him this life that He hath bought ſo dearely: giuegive Him it, or elſe thou ſhalt giuegive it to a worſe man. Imploy it in His ſeruice, or elſe thou ſhalt imploy it in the ſeruice of a worſe man. And euerie one ſhould ſay for their owne parts as Paul did for his part, Hath Chriſt died for me to this purpoſe, that I ſhould liue to Him, then will I take purpoſe, and will reſolue in mine heart to giuegive Him the life that He hath purchaſed to mee by His death: this was His purpoſe in His death concerning mee, I will not diſappoint Him of His purpoſe: that life that He hath wonne to me, I will conſecrate it to His ſeruice. It is true, thou canſt neuer diſappoint the Lord of His purpoſe, His purpoſe ſtandeth immooueable: the man to whom He looked in His death, hee muſt liue: and euerie man, for whome Chriſt died, was in His eyes when Hee died. No godlie man was out of His minde in His ſuffering, but He ſaide in His heart. I will die for this man, and for this woman, that they may liue to mee. So He will not be diſappointed: But looke thou diſappoint not thy ſelfe: If thou ſayeſt, Chriſt died for me, and in the meane time thou wilt not giuegive thy life to Him, but wilt liue to thy luſts, and not to Him, thou of neceſsitie in the ende ſhalt bring thy ſelfe to a miſerable point. There is nothing in the world that a man ſhould take more heede to, than to the life to come, to their maner of liuing heere, and to the actions that they hauehave in hand, and the thinges about the which they are occupied in their conuerſation: for if thou hauehave a conſcience, thy conſcience will tell thee by thine actions what part thou haſt in CHRIST: if in thine actions thou be ſeruing Him, thy cōſcience wil tell thee thou haſt a part in the LORD, whom thou art ſeruing: and thou in the meane time (if thou bee but eating thy dinner) if thou doeſt it to His glorie, thou ſhalt finde a ſweete apprehenſion of the death of CHRIST, and it ſhall raiſe a great joye in thine heart. But by the contrarie, if thou be euill occupied, and about to do an euill deede, thy conſcience within thee will giuegive thee a ſecrete warning, and will ſaye, O man! thy worke teſtifieth thou haſt nothing adoe with CHRIST, and thou ſhalt find in thine hart no comfort of Chriſts death, nor of His reſurrection. So it is good to be well occupied, eueryevery man in his owne calling, and in all his doings euer to hauehave CHRIST before his eyes, who hath giuen him this life. Wouldeſt thou then trie whether the deedes that thou doeſt, bee ſeruice done to ye Lord or not, I ſhall tell thee how thou ſhalt know (I will not ſpeake of outward tokens) but looke day and night within thy ſelfe to thine owne heart▪ what thou feeleſt there: feeleſt thou a conſcience by night and by day, teſtifying to thee that thou art vponupon a good courſe, and ſeruing CHRIST, who died for thee, it is well with thee: if thy cōſcience be rightly informed, & thou finde in the meane time a ſweete apprehenſion of CHRISTS death, paſſion, and riſing, it is well: But if thou feeleſt not this teſtimonie of a good conſcience, but rather a diſpleaſure and grudging in thy ſoule, all is wrong. Well art thou, if thou finde in all thy doinges a ſweete apprehenſion of CHRISTES death and reſurrection: if thou finde it not, woe is thee, leaue that deede, away with it: Away with all buſineſſe that will not furniſh a joye of conſcience in CHRIST, and will not make thee to ſaye, CHRIST is mine, I am doing Him ſeruice.
Nowe, to come to the purpoſe: The ſpeciall point of ſeruice that ſhould be giuen to CHRIST is ſet downe in theſe wordes: From hencefoorth know wee no man after the fleſh: Theſe are the wordes, weigh them. The ſpecial point of ſeruice ſet down here, is the right eſtimatiō of men, among whom we liue in y• world. It is no ſmall matter to eſteeme of men & women as we ſhuld do. The rule whereby the Apoſtle will eſteeme of them, is not in the fleſh, nor by fleſhly doing, that is, by nonē outward thing: All theſe outward things as kindred, nobilitie, beautie, wiſdome, worldly eloquence, riches, honour, &c. with all the reſt of theſe things which men hold in admiration, are nothing. This is not the rule of the Apoſtle, nor we ſhould not by that rule eſteem of them. How then? What is contrarie to the fleſh? the ſpirite. What is contrarie to nature? grace. What is contrarie to the olde man? regeneration. Then what ought to be the rule according to the which wee ſhould judge of men? the ſpirit, grace, and regeneration. But ye will ſay, Are not all theſe worldlie thinges benefites of God? ſhoulde not men bee eſteemed of for them? I anſwere, The Apoſtle ſpeaketh not ſimplie of them, but in compariſon, in reſpect of the ſpiritual graces. The nobilitie of the king is but dung in reſpect of the leaſt droppe of the blood of Chriſt: the leaſt ſponke of grace is worth whole nature: the leaſt portion of Heauenlie glorie is worth all the glorie in the world: the leaſt ſponke of regeneration is worth all the genealogies that can bee in this worlde. When Chriſt commeth with His ſpirit, grace, and regeneration, all theſe earthlie prerogatiues vaniſh as the miſt.
Then marke: There is the ſpeciall point of ſeruice done to Ieſus, diſcerne betwixt dead men and liuing men in this world: Dead men are they who are natural men and no more. Haſt thou no more but nature, with all the prerogatiues that can followe nature, thou art dead, although thou bee a king. Liuing men are they who are borne againe by Chriſt. Haſt thou the Spirit of Chriſt, thou liueſt: wanteſt thou the Spirit of Chriſt, thou art but dead. So there is a ſpeciall point of Chriſtes ſeruice, diſcerne betwixt liuing men and dead men thou art in the middeſt of them, and liuing men on the one hand, & dead men on the other hand: Diſcerne betwixt them: Count not of the dead man, although hee had all the prerogatiues vnderunder Heauen: If he hauehave no more but nature, call him not bleſſed. The liuing man is hee that hath the Spirit of Chriſt in him, albeit he be a begger: and the men who make an account of their worldlie prerogatiues, and follow nature and the olde generation, are but naturall men: thou that accounteſt of dead men, thou art dead thy ſelf, & as thou art dead, ſo all thine eſtimation is of dead men.
To goe forward to the wordes: Hee amplifieth this by the example of Chriſt, and ſaieth, How beit I accounted once of Christ after the fleſh, before▪ … knewe Him, well, yet from hencefoorth I will knowe, Him no more after the fleſh: and therefore, why ſhould wee knowe men after the fleſh, who are inferiours to Chriſt, the head of all fleſh.
Nowe …o ſpeake of this Lord: When He was in this worlde, Hee was clothed with theſe earthlie prerogatiues as other men: yea; I thinke Hee had theſe outwarde prerogatiues in His owne perſon in greateſt meaſure aboue all men▪ For neuer man deſcended of a more excellent raſe and genealogie than He did. Then looke to his beautie, albeit it bee not ſet downe in the Scripture, yet I thinke there was neuer man ſo faire in beautie as He: He was moſt wiſe, & moſt eloquent of all mē, & therefore ye Apoſtles held Him in admiration for theſe prerogatiues. But from once by His glorious reſurrection (as the Apoſtle …aieth, Roman. 1. 4.) Hee was declared mightily to be the Sonne of GOD: then all theſe thing, euaniſhed, and the onelie admiration remained of that glorie which Hee declared by His reſurrection. All theſe earthlie prerogatiues (ſaieth Paule) then paſſed out of their eyes, and the graces of CHRIST onlie remained to be marueiled at. The leſſon is plain. The LORD IESVS is the rule of the eſtimation of all fleſh. In thine eſtimation hold thine eye alwayes vponupon CHRIST, or els thou ſhalt fall. Firſt caſt thine eyes vp to Heauen, and then ca… downe thine eyes on man, who is but a worme on the ear…. Looke vp to a glorious GOD, IESVS the Mediator, and then to a worme on this earth, though hee bee a king, and ſay, Thoſe thinges that I will not count of in IESVS, which He had beeing in G…l…e and in the earth, I will not count of them in thee that art but a worme, I will not doe it. But by the contrarie, that thing which I eſteeme of in Him, that paſſing glorie which is in Him, when I looke to thee, and ſee a glaunce thereof in thee, indeede for that little reſemblance which I ſee in thee, like to my LORD, reſembling Him in grace, I will eſteeme of thee: otherwiſe, I may well giuegive thee this worldlie reuerence, b… if thou wanteſt this reſemblance, I will neuer count thee happie, albeit thou hadſt all the earthly prerogatiues in the world. And certainelie, they who hold men in …miration for their earthly prerogatiues, neuer … CHRIST, nor His glorie. Thou that wilt ſee a Tribunall, a Monarch heere, and maruell thereat, thou neuer ſaw the Tribunall of CHRIST. So the thing that cauſeth people to eſteeme of men for their earthly prerogatiues, is, becauſe they ſee not the glorie & graces of CHRIST. Would the people hauehave eſteemed ſo much of Herod, if they had knowne the Majeſtie of the Great GOD, when they called him a god? Acts, 12. 22. No, not for all the world: and therefore, ſeeke a ſight of the glorie of GOD, if ye would rightlie eſteeme of men, and giuegive them only their owne place.
Nowe to goe forward: Yee hauehave heard of the purpoſe that the Apoſtle taketh in ſeruing of his LORD, by the right eſteeming of men in this world, among whome hee liueth. In the next verſe he commeth to the eſtate of this world & ſheweth what alteration was made in the world, by the alteration made in the perſon of IESVS: for when IESVS altered, all creatures altered with Him: when He went from the earth to the Heauen, and left behinde Him all theſe earthly pleaſures, there followed a wonderfull change and alteration in all the creatures.
But to come to the wordes: Hee firſt ſpeaketh of the eſtate of man, and ſecondly of the eſtate of the reſt of the creatures in the earth. As for man, h… ſaieth, Therefore, if anie man be in Christ, let him … a newe creature. Marke this, If anie man bee in CHRIST, hee is a new creature: hee is changed, he is altered, and wonderfully altered: he is changed from an olde creature to a new creature: from an olde dead creature, to a newe liuing creature: from nature to grace, from death to life, from Hel to Heauē. What ſhold become of an old rottē ſtok, but be caſten into the fire. So if thou hadſt continued an olde rotten creature, thou hadſt beene brunt in that fire which is vnquenchable. He ſetteth downe the meanes how this change is made▪ Firſt thou muſt be in Chriſt: as euer thou ſawe an impe ingraffed in a tree, ſo thou muſt be planted and ingraffed in Him: Being planted in Him, then commeth that freſh ſap out of Him into thee, and transformeth thee, and maketh thee a newe creature. Then learne of this firſt, looke the force of the alteration of IESVS, when Hee altered from earthlie things to Heauenlie glorie, man eſpeciallie altered with Him. Then looke ſecondly the dignitie of man, among all creatures hee hath the firſt place of changing▪ & Chriſt was firſt effectuall in man to make him a newe creature. And this preferment hath man aboue all the Heauens and aboue al the creatures. The maner how this commeth to paſſe is this: Ere thou bee altered, thou muſt bee raiſed vp to Him, and joyned with Him, and ingraffed in Him as an impe in a tree: then He and thou, and thou and Hee, being made one▪ the glorie that is in Ieſus ſpreadeth her ſelfe oued thee, & couereth thee. But if thou bee not in Him, thou ſhalt neuer get any part of His glory. Looke that thou be in Him by faith (for faith ingraffeth thee in Him) and beeing in Him, thou ſhalt get a part of His glory: and yet thou art but a creature, and not a creator. The difference is in newneſſe, thou was made before olde, but now made newe, greene & liuelie, being once ingraffed & planted in Chriſt thou art flouriſhing. It is true, all theſe things are not ſeene yet, and this flouriſhing of vsus in Chriſt is not found yet perfectlie: and this conjunction of Him with vsus is not ſo ſenſible as it ſhall be: but this ſhall once be found true, we ſhall find that wee were the ſonnes of God, and newe creatures, when wee were on this earth: and wee ſhall get the accompliſhment of our felicitie in Heauen, when we are reigning in glory with Him. Now, as to the reſt of the creatures, hee ſaith, Olde thinges are past by, behold, all thinges are become newe. He ſaith, Beholde: Marke the word: hereby ſtirring vp their hearts to ſee the alteration and renewing of theſe creatures, ſeing it is a thing difficill to be belieued by men. There is no creature, neither Angell nor man, no, the dumbe & ſenſeleſſe creatures, as the Heauen, earth, fire, water, a…e, but they were all benefited by that change made in Chriſt; and by His glorious reſurrection and aſcenſion they receiued ſome alteration, from the worſe to the better. The Angels who were before in glorie, were bettered, and their glorie was augmented by the riſing of Chriſt. The Apoſtle (Eph. 1. 10. and 3. 10. and Col. 1. 20.) ſheweth t…. But to ſpeake of the inferiour creatures, and their eſtate, of this Heauen, Sunne, Moone, Starres, Earth, Water, &c. that were created for the vſe of man, theſe creatures from the beginning euer altered with man. When man was created in the beginning in perfection, theſe creatures were in their perfectiō, the Heauen in his perfection, the Sunne in his perfection, &c. When man fell, they fell alſo, the Heauen fell from his perfection, &c. the earth was accurſed for man (Rom. 8. 20.) As man grew olde that is, as hee grewe in ſinne, vntounto the time that ſinne came to the height (which fell in that ſame period of time when CHRIST came into the world: then the Apoſtle ſaieth ſinne ſuperabounded, and all was vnderunder ſinne. And ſurelie I thinke if the LORD had not come at that period of time whē the world ſuperabounded in ſinne, and ſinne was come to the height, the world had preſentlie periſhed) So, I ſaye, as men grewe olde by ſinne, the Heauens, the Sunne, the Moone, and all the reſt of the creatures grew olde. Alas…man by ſinne defileth the aire, the Heauens, &c. When thou, O man, for whome all the reſt of the creatures were made, runneſt forward in offending thy Creator, thou draweſt on all the reſt of the creatures after thee. And againe, at the comming of CHRIST the old creatures beganne to be made new creatures, and the creatures that were made to the vſe of man, were benefited with that benefite of man, & got a renewing, as man their lord was renewed. Againe, after CHRISTS comming, when man beganne of new to degenerate and grow olde, then the creatures alſo beganne to grow olde. So man growing in ſinne, draweth after him the creatures, and as he decayeth, the earth and all creatures decay alſo: and therefore Paul (Rom. 8. 19. 22.) ſaieth, that the ſenſeleſſe & dumbe creatures grone and make a mone for ſin, mourning as a woman traueiling of birth, & faine would be deliuered: ſo the earth would faine be quite of thee, O ſinfull man, that art made of the earth, and treadeſt on y• belly of the earth: ſhe groneth vnderunder the weight of thee for ſin: Fy on thee, that cāſt not grone for ſin: thou ſhalt either grone here in this life, and get relief, or thou ſhalt grone after this life for euer without reliefe. This is the groning that the poore creature maketh for the bearing of thee, & the earth would …aine ſerue God in her own kind, but ſhee is made ſubject to thy vanitie (Rom. 8. 20) and therfore ſhe groneth: ſo the ſenſleſſe creatures are wearie, and cry, Lord, put an end to this vanity, and are crying this day this ſame houre: But man; for whome the earth and all is made ſubject to this miſerie and vanitie, is going playing him on the earth without groning. Well, at laſt, when the ſonnes of GOD ſhall bee reuealed, and ſhall bee glorified (Coloſſ. Chap. 3. verſ. 4.) then the earth which groned with them when they groned, ſhall bee glorified with them, and then the Sunne and the Moone ſhall receiue newneſſe, and (as Peter ſaieth, 2. epiſt. 3. … ▪) The ſonnes of God ſhal receiue this ſame Heauen in ſubſtance, but it ſhal be new, and the earth ſhal be new, & then the earth ſhal be no lōger capable of a ſinfull man. Thou ſinner ſhalt not get leaue to looke to this Heauē, only the ſonnes of God that ſhall be glorified ſhal get this priuiledge, they ſhal be kings of this newe earth. Yee ſee then the eſtate of the creatures euaniſheth according to mans eſtate, and altereth as man doeth▪ and in the ende the creatures ſhall hauehave the participatiō with man of that glorie which they longed for. This for the opening vp of the Text. Learne here: ye ſee ye creatures get renewing as well as man, but (marke the difference) in the ſecond roome: Man is firſt renewed, then the creatures are renewed: Mā hath his preferment firſt, next the creatures are renewed, but not after that maner that mā is renewed and preferred: for man is firſt graffed in Chriſt▪ and he is made one with Him. Ieſus the Head, ye Church, the body, and eueryevery faithfull man and womans member of that body, Eph. 1. 22. 23. But the creatures, when they are renewed, they are not ingraffed in Chriſt: The Heauen, when it is renewed is not called to that honor to be ingraffed in Chriſt, it is no part of the body of Chriſt: The earth when it is renewed, is no part of the body of Chriſt. No, no ſuch conjunction is betwixt Chriſt and thoſe creatures, as is betwixt Him & His Church. Then, ſeeing theſe creatures that are renewed with mā, are not honoured with that conjunction which is with Chriſt the Lord, it muſt follow, that the glory of the creatures is not equall with y• glory of man. When the Heauens ſhal be made new & very glorious, yet all ſhall be nothing to that glory of mā. Thou, O man, ſhalt ſhine in body aboue the glorie of the Sun by a thouſand ſtages, Matth. 13. 43. The conjunction of Chriſt not being ſo made with the creatures, as it is with man, the glory of them cannot be compared with ye glory of man, but al the glory of the creatures ſhall be as a participatiō of the glory of man. Thou mā, ſhalt be glorified with the glory of Ieſus Chriſt himſelf: the creatures ſhal bee glorified but with thy glory. All this telleth vsus what glory wee ſhould looke for, ſeeing this Lord that maketh this renovation, is ſo glorious. It is certain that at the cōming of Chriſt in the world, and His paſsing vp to the Heauens, a renewing of all the creatures in the world was made, al things were renewed. This is a ground that we muſt hold if we belieue that Chriſt came in the world, & hath aſcended to glory Alas! this is not perceiued, and in my ſelfe I cannot ſee it as I would, & the moſte godly complain, that they cānot ſee this effectualneſſe of Chriſtes glory. The cauſe is, the deadneſſe that abideth in vsus ſin cānot be gotten out of this world, till the Lord come again: it dwelleth in vsus. and reigneth in the world, & the Deuil, the prince of this world, reigneth by it (for where ſinne reigneth, he reigneth) yea, it oppreſſeth ye godly heart, that they can ſcarcely feele in themſelues this renouation: ſo weighty is ſinne: who ſeeth it? There is a glimmering of this newe creation, but who hath this glimmering? None, but that new ſoule: an vnregenerate man neuer ſawe this regeneration, neither in himſelfe nor in others, and hee cannot ſuffer to heare of a regenerate & ſanctified man, hee will laugh, as though there could not bee ſuch a thing as regeneration: becauſe the ſcorner himſelfe is vnrenewed, therefore hee cannot weigh GODS graces in others: So long as thou art vnregenerate, thou canſt not but ſcorn regeneration, yea, and perſecute the regenerate man, and ſo raſh thine head againſt a wall: For the LORD hath made him inviolable, and the Temple of His Spirite, and therefore He ſhall deſtroy thee, that art the vnregenerate man: yea, and deſtroyed ſhall euerie man bee that daſheth himſelfe againſt the Church of IESVS, that is, the renewed body, that body, as an yrō wall, ſhall bruiſe them. Experience telleth this. Who euer was hee that raſhed againſt the Church, but the Church hath beaten him into powder? Meddle not with ye Saincts of God: although it were but one Sainct renewed by the grace of God, hee is ſufficient to deſtroy and bruiſe a whole kingdome that raſheth on him. The Lord open mens eye, to ſee this. For all the world would not I bee one to make oppoſition to one of the Saincts of GOD. The LORD therefore ſaue men, and learne them to account of this renouation, as they would hauehave a portion thereof, & be glorified at the comming of Chriſt.
Now to end ſhortly. The Apoſtle when he hath ſpoken of the renewing of all creatures made by IESVS the Mediator (for all floweth out of him) in the next verſe hee riſeth, and mounteth vp (O howe hee that is carried with the Spirite of Chriſt will riſe, when hee is ſpeaking of IESVS) hee riſeth vp to a light inacceſſible, he ſeeth God the Father ſitting in his Throne and Majeſtie, and the worke of this renewing flowing frō him, through Chriſt the Mediator, & riſing vp to the Father of Chriſt, hee ſaieth, And all thinges are of GOD, &c. Our leſſon is, All graces come from Chriſt the Mediator, our regeneration floweth out of his life, but the fountain of all is the Father of Heauen, the Father of Ieſus: and therfore, when thou findeſt the grace flowing from Ieſus, raiſe vp thy ſoule, & look thorowe to the glorious Fountaine, ſitting in his Majeſty & ſay. All glory be to ye Father, I acknowledge all goodneſſe to come from thee, O Father, thou haſt giuen all graces to me through thy Son Chriſt. Now when he hath riſen vp to the Father, he cōmeth down again to two degrees, which are the …wayes wherby the regeneration is wrought: The firſt is the reconciliatiō to the Father throgh Chriſt the Mediator by his death. The ſecond is this Miniſterie, baſe and contemptible in the eyes of men, this diſpenſation of the myſteries of GOD that hee hath put into the handes of his Miniſters, to bee diſtributed to the people.
Well, Brethren, a man muſt come to this regeneration by degrees, as a mā ſtepping vp a ladder▪ If thou wouldeſt be renewed in Chriſt, thou muſt climbe and goe vp by degrees: The firſt is the Miniſtery of reconciliation: The ſecond is the reconciliation it ſelfe in Chriſt: The thirde and laſt is the fountaine of regeneration, God the Father. Will thou runne vp, and miſſe one of theſe ſ…eps? No, it is not poſsible, for thou ſhalt neuer get regeneration before God be friended with thee: thou art His enemy, thou muſt be friēded with Him, before thou bee renewed. Well then, thou wilt ſay, I muſt bee friended with Him, but I neede not thy miniſtery, can I not come to Heauen, but by hearing thee pre…ch? I ſay, thou canſt not, I lay this neceſſity before thee, and I charge thee, & I binde thee to this miniſtery. Imagine thou another meanes to attaine to this glory, contemne thou this miniſtery in the ſillieſt perſon to whome God hath giuen it, I ſhal make a ſtrawe bar the gates of Heauē in thy teeth: yea, albeit thou bee a Monarch, thou ſhalt neuer get reconciliation without this Miniſtery. The Lord wakē our cōſciences, that we may embrace the ordinance of God: we ſhall neuer be wiſe in God, except firſt wee become fooles, that wee may bee wiſe. Then ſeeing this neceſsity is of the Miniſtery, to make a reconciliation with our God, and this reconciliation muſt paſſe, by a proclamation of peace, to the miſerable worlde. and paſſe by the mouth of this contemned Miniſtery. The Lord waken theſe our ſenſeleſſe heartes, that we may reuerence and eſteeme of this Miniſterie more than we hauehave done. The Lord grant vsus this for Chriſts ſake: To whome, with the Father and the Holy Spirite, bee all Glory and Honour for euermore,
AMEN.