The Pulpits Patronage Against Unordained Usurpation, Part 2 · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Giving a Reaſon of this ſecond Part.
IN the former part, we have endeavoured to demonſtrate, that in every ſetled, and well-ordered Church, ſome ſhould be ſet apart, to attend and act in holy things; in this we come to ſhew, who theſe ſhould be; for we have no reaſon to think, that we ſhall be preſently deprived of all attendants, ſome will be ready ſtill, to offer, and perhaps obtrude themſelves, it is not want of men, but want of Miniſters, that makes us ſpeak, not want of ſpeakers, but want of Preachers: nay, it is no… want of Preachers, but want of Commiſsioned-Officers, that we bewaile, there are (as he ſaid) multi homines, ſed pauci milites; for we finde that Jeroboams Devils had ſome to attend and act about them (a)2 Chron. 11. 14, 15., and there were ſwarms of Locuſts out of the bottomleſſe pit; Friers and Monks, that every where invaded and uſurped Pulpits; and ſo among the wilde and waſting Sectaries in Germany, ſome did attend and act in things they called holy. But we would have ſuch, as God directeth and deſcribeth in his word, think he is able to chuſe his Officers, and ought to have his liberty of doing ſo, without impeachment; God will not be attended with every body, he is as curious and ſquemiſh as any are. The Officers and attendants of a Prince, are the majeſty and glory of his Court, as it was of Solomons (b)2 Chron. 9. 3, 4., and he will not give away his glory unto any other: when Nebuchadnezzar was about to form his Court, he is exact and curious in the choice and qualities of thoſe that are for to attend him (c)Dan. 1. 3, 4, 5.; for its truly ſaid, noſcitur ex comite qui non cognoſcitur ex ſe; Miniſters are Meſſengers and Interpreters, as they are called (d)Job 33. 23, ſuch as Mercury by the Poets is feigned and ſuppoſed to be, and ex quovis ligne non fit Mercurius. When Princes Children are to be put to nurſe, Phyſicians are imployed, not only to conſider the conſtitutions and complexions of thoſe that are commended to the ſervice, but alſo to weigh their breaſt-milk in a pair of skales, that ſhe whoſe milk is heavieſt, may be adjudged to the work: Gods Children, are Children of the greateſt Prince that is (e)Mal. 1. 14., and his Miniſters are called in the Scripture Nurſes (f)1 Theſ. 2. 7: its fit therefore their conſtitutions and complexions ſhould be viewed, and the milk they give ſhould firſt be weighed in the ballance of the Sanctuary, before they be authorized to give theſe Children ſuck. It is obſerved, that thoſe that ſell milk, have the greateſt liberty for to corrupt and mingle it of any other: and therefore the Apoſtle takes eſpeciall care, that thoſe that need it, and deſire it, may be well purged and prepared; for nothing is more dangerous then milk, received in to a filthy and infected ſtomack; for though the milk be never ſo good, yet if the ſtomack be not clean, it will coagulate and curdle in it; and then takes care, that the milk be likewiſe as it ought to be (g)1 Pet. 2. 1, 2.. There are two evils that milk is ſubject and obnoxious unto, Firſt, to be weakened and impaired by putting water in, to have no pith nor ſpirits, ſap nor ſavour in it, and yet for to retain the colour and name of milk, the Apoſtle to prevent this, would have it foreign, rational and pithy, that hath weight and ſubſtance (h)Tit. 2. 7, 8., having ſtrength and ſpirits in it, that will carry and convince, that he may be able by ſound Doctrine, both to exhort and convince the gainſayers, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks (i)Tit. 1. 9., not frothy, empty, light, uncertain, ſtuffed with whimſies, and diſcompoſed inconſiſtencies: the other evil is fallacious ſophiſtry, which in another place, the Apoſtle ſayes is to corrupt the word (k)2 Cor. 2. 17.; for we are not as many which corrupt the word of God, foreign, that is, corrupt, and play the huckſters with it, by blending it with worſe, as Vintners uſe to do their good wines: the Apoſtle therefore to prevent this, ſayes it muſt be foreign, without deceit; for many things ſeem to be, that are not, have a ſhew of wiſdom in will-worſhip and humility, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks (l)Col. 2. 23., yet have no ſubſtance in them.
And the danger is the greater, where the people have been ſcanted and denied their allowance, kept hungry, and their appetites thereby inraged and exaſperated; for ſuch will venture upon any carrion, Jejunus ſtomachus rarò vulgaria temnit, as the people by a needleſſe and over-great reſtraint, were occaſioned to fly upon the ſpoile (m)1 Sam. 14. 32.. Our care is therefore, that they may have wholſom food, that in ſtead of being ſtarved, they be not poyſoned. Its two well known, the people of this Land have been reſtrained, confined to a diet that they did not like, deprived of Preachers, that they reliſhed and longed for, and fed with traſh and husks: we bleſſe God for it, that the caſe is altered, that our Preachers are not now (as formerly) removed into a corner, but that our eyes do ſee our Preachers, as the Prophet ſpeaks (n)Eſa. 30. 20; but care muſt be, that now they be not poyſoned: when people have been long reſtrained and kept hungry, they muſt not preſently be glutted and over-charged, though with wholſom food; but as they loſt, ſo they muſt recover their ſtomacks by degrees, a little of that is good, & often, is the beſt rule: our buſineſſe therefore now is, to keep off theſe obtruders and deceivers, that our people may not be in huckſters hands, but nouriſhed and fed ſincerely, that in Doctrine, there may be uncorruptneſſe, gravity, ſincerity, ſound ſpeech that cannot be condemned, as it is (o)Tit. 2. 7, 8., and that they be not overcharged with a ſurfeit, of that whereby their ſouls ought to be nouriſhed.
The people are indeed a weighty, but unweldy body, ſlow to remove from what they are accuſtomed unto. The Iriſh will not be perſwaded to put geeres and harnis on their horſes, but will have the Plough ſtill tied to their tayles. The men of China in their late great conflicts with the Tartars, fought harder for their hair and habits, then for their Empire and Dominions; ſo powerful is uſage, and ſo ſweet our preſent, though perverſe opinions and perſwaſions; but if they be removed, and forced, or lifted from it, they are very apt to ſwag unto the other ſide, that as they ſay of women, in femineo ſexu nihil mediocre, ſo we may of people, neutrum modo, mas modo vulgus, they never ſettle in the middle gender, but from one extream run to the other; are in the Scriptures compared unto waters, (p)Rev. 17. 19quae difficulter continentur ſuis terminis, ſed facile alienis, who could have barred and bounded that rowling and unruly Element, if God himſelf had not ſaid, hither to ſhalt thou come, and no further, and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtayed (q)Job 38. 11? and it muſt be the ſame almighty power, that contains the people within due bounds; and the holy Ghoſt is pleaſed thus to joyne them, by the Pſalmiſt, (r)Pſal. 65. 7.which ſtilleth the noiſe of the Seas, the noiſe of their waves, and the tumults of the people.
Our people have been kept a long time hungry, thoſe Preachers ſilenced and laid aſide, that they affected and longed after, and by long faſting, have got caninum appetitum, as Phyſicians call it, an appetite too eager and adventurous for their weak ſtomacks, and feeble powers, and muſt for a while be dieted, and looked well unto, that they do not over-eat themſelves, that they do not over-charge their queſie ſtomacks; the Devil, if he cannot bar men, and keep them back from God, will thruſt them forward, and overcharge them, and a man may eat too much of any thing, (s)Prov. 25. 16.haſt thou found hony; eat ſo much as is ſufficient for thee, leſt thou be filled therewith, and vomit it. We are now to be very careful of this extreme, to beware they do not cloy themſelves, and ſo be occaſioned to vomit up all: our Saviour Chriſt takes notice of the want of Preachers, and bids the Diſciples pray for a ſupply (t)Mat. 9. 38., yet wills them to conſider, what they hear (u)Mar. 4. …4., and Paul, who ſpent himſelf in preaching, and enjoynes the aſſiduity thereof to his ſucceſſors, yet bids them, mark ſuch as cauſed diviſions and diſſenſions, contrary to the Doctrine which they had learned, and avoid them (w)Rom. 16. 17.: he would not have them ravenous, like hungry dogs, to leap at any bone that ſhould be caſt unto them; and compares falſe Teachers unto Dogs (x)Phil. 3. 2., who ſwallow anything that is propoſed to them.
Thoſe that devoure and over-eat themſelves, are ſubject unto inflammations & the itch; for the raw and unconcocted matter ingenders vapors, which labouring to get out at the cuticula, or out-moſt skin, do tickle it, and ſo beget an itch. The people in the Apoſtles dayes had fed eagerly, and filled themſelves with more then they could well digeſt, which in the next ſucceeding age, ingendred and begat an itch: the Apoſtle therefore is very careful to enjoyne the paſtors vigilancy: thoſe that are troubled and moleſted with an itch, are cōmonly inordinate, & hurt themſelves with ſcratching, the pleaſure of it doth ſolicite them to overdo, and ſcratching lets in ayre and ill influences, that pain and trouble them, before they leave them, he ſaw that grievous Wolves would come among them, not ſparing the flock, and of their own ſelves would men ariſe, ſpeaking perverſe things to draw Diſciples after them (y)Act. 20. 29, 30., therefore he bids them watch. And when he was about to leave the world, he reveals to Timothy a ſpecial Medicine for the itch, that he bids and chargeth him to uſe: as great Doctors, when they are dying, give their exact and choice receits to their ſucceſſors, for the publick good, and the Medicine is compounded of three ingredients.
1. Inſtant and unwearied aſſiduity in preaching, I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who ſhall judge the quick and the dead, at his appearing and in his Kingdom, preach the word, be inſtant in ſeaſon & out of ſeaſon, reprove, rebuke, exhort (z)2 Tim. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4.. This is the firſt ingredient, to furniſh them and feed them with wholſom food, that their hunger betray them not to thoſe that go about for to ſeduce them. The Vine and the Figtree in the parable (a)Jud. 9. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13., are by their native ſap and ſweetneſs, ſecured from that bait and ſnare, the bramble ſnatched and was choaked with. Phyſicians ſay, the body ſhould be kept in habituathletico, a vigorous and able temper, that may be able to oppoſe infections, that are offered to them: as Cities well furniſhed with Ammunition and proviſion, can hold out till they be relieved, ſo Chriſtians catechiſed and inſtructed in the grounds of what they do profeſs, hold out and make reſiſtance, when ayry, empty, hungry ſouls, are ſnared and devoured by the common enemy: when the Devil found the houſe was empty, he enters it, and puts a Gariſon that ſhould ſecure it for the future (b)Mat. 12. 44, 45..
2. The ſecond ingredient muſt be ſuffering; if we obay the former Order, and be aſſiduous in teaching, reproving, and rebuking, we ſhall be ſure to ſuffer; action and paſſion go together, omne agens agendo repatitur, eſpecially, if we go a little f…ſter then others do: a Loader may ride through a Town a foot pace, with ſacks upon his horſe, and not be medled with; but if a Gentleman will gallop, the Dogs will preſently encounter and aſſault him; if men will be aſſiduous, and importunate, to get men out of Satans ſnares, they ſhall be perſecuted; why was Paul ſo oppoſed every where? but becauſe he was unceſſant in his admonitions, (c)Act. 20. 31therefore watch, and remember that by the ſpace of three years, I ceaſed not to warn every one night and day with tears: its well ſaid, laudamus monitores, ſed fugimus, no boy more hated then the monitor; and they that will not ſtand to it, and ſuffer with Chriſt, ſhall never reign with him, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks (d)2 Tim. 2. 12.; for all our doing, we may be thought pragmatical, and buſie bodies, they will think we will play our own game, until they ſee us loſe; that we aim at eaſe and honour, until they ſee us trodden on, and in the dirt, and then perhaps, we may be pittied. God is the God of all grace, yet ſettles no body till they have ſuffered, (e)1 Pet. 5▪ 10▪but the God of all grace, who hath called us to his eternal glory, by Jeſus Chriſt, after that ye have ſuffered a while, make you perfect, ſtrengthen, ſtabliſh, ſettle you.
But a little ſuffering will not ſuffice, long ſuffering is the ingredient; if there be in the medicine, an ounce of doing, there muſt be two or three of ſuffering; our Saviours and the Apoſtles times, were times of doing; but for that there followed three ages, that were wholly taken up and entertained in ſuffering: a cheater may loſe a while, to draw the novice into a Partnerſhip; the ſtony ground endures a while, (f)Luk. 8. 13.which for a time believe, but will not ſuffer long, time will diſcover truth, every mans work ſhall be made manifeſt, for the day ſhall declare it (g)1 Cor. 3. 13; the dreſſe and garniſh will wear off in time, and nothing ſtay, but what is reall and ſubſtantiall: good men may be in danger to decline and ſtagger, if the rod ſtayes long on them, as the Pſalmiſt ſayes (h)Pſal. 125. 3.; but long is not enough, there muſt be large, with all long ſuffering: an inch is longitude, but will not ſerve to make up this ingredient, if they give us an inch, we muſt take an ell, and therefore the believers had need of patience, that after they had done the will of God, they might receive the promiſe (i)Heb. 10. 36.; a Chriſtian Souldier may have a very great arrear, Paul ſpeaks, as if all his pay were then to take up, when all his warfare was accompliſht, (k)2 Tim. 4. 7, 8.I have fought a good fight, I have finiſhed my courſe, I have kept the faith, henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of righteouſneſſe: its a great triall, to have that Garland or Crown deferrd, that we have won, as thoſe that wreſtled in the Olympick games, if when they had contended lawfully, and won the prize, they had been put off untill the next Olympiad, yet that is many times our caſe, when we have rowed hard, and brought the boat unto the ſhore, to be put off again, and beaten back into the billowes, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, (l)2 Cor. 6. 3, 4.giving no offence in any thing, that our Miniſtry be not blamed, but in all things approving our ſelves as the Miniſters of God, in much patience in afflictions, in neceſſities, in diſtreſſe; but yet there is this difference, Ships that have been long out, and are forced again into the waves, do ſometimes periſh in the Bay, and in view of the deſired Haven; but we are ſure to conquer at the laſt, he that endureth to the end, the ſame ſhall be ſaved (m)Mat. 24. 13.; be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee a Crown of life (n)Rev. 2. 10.: vincet aliquando pertinax bonitas, if one will not yield, nor give off, he ſhall certainly prevail at laſt, and conquer. We muſt not think, to do as Caeſar often did, veni, vidi, vici, but ſhall at laſt prevail. When Jacob found his hold was good, that he had taken of his Antagoniſt, he would not let him go, till he had bleſſed him (o)Gen. 32. 26.
The third and laſt ingredient for this Medicine of the Itch, is Doctrine. With all long ſuffering and Doctrine. The Itch at firſt hath ſomething in it of delight, and men refuſe what's offered by way of cure, and pleaſe themſelves with being clawed; but when they finde that cures them not, but rather troubles them, and puts them further off, they then begin to liſten to ſome remedies; all men will witneſſe, that we have ſuffered, and ſuffered long; perhaps they will be willing now, to admit ſuch ointments & applications, as may with Gods bleſſing effect the cure, and that muſt be our Doctrine; and though perhaps, the place of Scripture we have quoted, would give us leave for to expatiate into a large field, yet we ſhall limit and confine our ſelves unto ſuch points of Doctrine, as are proper for the cure of this particular diſeaſe.