Exhortation to Repentance

To the Christian Reader, and especially to all such as have any Copies of the works of Master Perkins, or intend any of them to the Press.

FOrasmuch as there hath been lately signification made, of diverse of M. Perkins his works hereafter to be printed, in an Epistle to the Reader praemised before the Treatise of Callings, and that signification being but general, might peradventure give occasion to some, to set out some particulars (without the consent of M. Perkins his assigns) as imperfectly as are these two books, entitled The reformation of Covetousness, and The practice of Faith, justly and truly (for ought that I see) censured in the aforesaid Epistle: It is therefore now thought good, to mention the particular Treatises, and works of his, which shall hereafter (if God will) be published, for the benefit of God's Church: I do therefore hereby make known to all, whom it any way may concern, that there were found in the study of the deceased, and are in the hands of his Executors, or assigns, and preparing for the Press.

• 1 His Expositions on the Epistle to the Galatians.
  • 2 On the Epistle of Jude.
• 2 His Book of the Cases of Conscience.
• 3 His Treatises,
  • 1. Of Witch-craft.
  • 2. Of Callings.

All these he had perused himself, and made them ready for the Press, according to which Copies by himself so corrected, some of them already are, and the rest will be published in due time: And hereupon we desire all men who have Copies of them, not to offer that wrong to that worthy man of God, as to publish any of their own, seeing the copies hereof which are to be printed, are of his own correcting: but rather if they can help to make any of them more perfect by their copies, they may therein do a good work to the benefit of many, and much comfort to themselves.

And further, I do hereby make known, that I have in my hands at this present of his works, taken from his mouth, with my own hand, hereafter (if God will) to be published, with the allowance of our Church, and for the benefit of his children, these particulars.

• 1 His Expositions or readings, on the 101. Psalm.
• 2 On the 32. Psalm.
• 3 On the 11. Chap. to the Hebrews.
• 4 On the 1, 2, & 3. Chap. of the Revelation.
• 5. On the 5, 6, and 7. Chapters of Saint Matthew.
  • 2 His Confutation of Camsius his little Popish Catechism.
  • 3 His Treatises,
    • 1. Of Imaginations Out of Genes. 8. 2.
    • 2. Of Temptations, out of Matthew 4.
    • 3. Of Christian equity, out of Philippians 4. 3.
    • 4. Of the Callings of the Ministry, out of two places of Scripture.
    • 5. Of Repentance, out of Zephaniah, 2. 1.

Besides many other particular Sermons, and short discourses made upon several, and special occasions: of all which, some are already published by others, and some by myself: and all the rest that remain, as they be the Jewels of God's Church, so did I willingly dedicate them to the public and general good: Iudgeing it were a foul sin in me, or any other, to impropriate to our selves, or our own private use, the labors of This, or any other learned man, which are in my opinion, parts of the Treasury of the militant Church: And as it were wrong to the Church, if I should conceal them, so doubtless were it to him & his children: If I should publish them for mine own alone, and not for their benefit. If I do, I think it may be justly said unto me, or whosoever doth so, Thy monie perish with thee. And what herein I have said for myself: I know I may boldly & safely say, for his Executors or assigns, which have or had in their hands, any of those which were found in his Study: In the publishing of alwhich, as we do intend to deal truly with the Christian Reader, and not to commit anything to the Press, which hath not either been written or corrected, by the Author himself, or faithfully penned according to the truest Copies taken from his own mouth, and since by others of sufficiency and integrity, diligently perused: so we purpose to refer them to the benefit of the Authors wife and children, as much as may be, wishing that upon this Caveat, men would not be so hasty (as some have been) to commend to the world, their vnprefect notes, upon a base desire of a little gain, both to hinder the common good of the Church, and to defraud the said parties of their private benefit, to whom in all equity and conscience, it doth principally appertain: And desiring all who have any perfect Copies of such as are in my own hands, that they would either help me with theirs, or rather take mine to help them. That by our joint powers and our forces laid together: the walls of this worthy building, may go up the fairer & the faster. And so I commend them all to God's blessing, who endeavor to commend themselves, and their labors to God and to his Church.

AN EXHORTATION TO REPENTANCE.

T He Prophet in the first Chapter of this prophecy, rebuketh the Jews of three notable crimes, Idolatry, fraud, and cruelty. In this second he exhorts them to repentance, and withal reproveth some of their special sins. In the three first verses he propoundeth the Doctrine of Repentance, and addeth some special reasons to move and stir them up to the practice of it. In propounding the Doctrine of repentance, he directs it to two sorts of men. First to the obstinate and impenitent Jews in the first and second verses. Secondly, to the better sort of them, in the third. So that the sum and substance of these two first verses, is a brief and summary propounding of the doctrine of Repentance to the obstinate Jews. The words contain in them 5. several points, touching the doctrine of repentance.

1 The duty to be performed, Search:

2 Who must be searched: yourselves.

3 Who must do it. The Jews: who are further described to be a nation, not worthy to be beloved of God, these are in the first verse.

4. In the second verse: the time limitting them, when to repent, before the decree come forth that is, before God put in execution the judgments which are already decreed & appointed for them.

5. A forcible reason urging them to do it which lieth hid, and is necessarily implied in the fourth point: namely, that there is a decree against them, which wants nothing but execution: which also shall come unless they repent, whereby they shall be fanned: and if they shall be found to be chaff, they shall fly away with the wind of God's justice. Of all these points in order.

For the first, the holy Ghost saith; Search yourselves. The words are commonly read thus. Gather yourselves, which, though it be good, for that in repentance a man gathereth himself, and all his wits together, which afore were dispersed, & wandered up & down in vanity: yet I rather allow their translation who read thus. Search, or fan yourselves: but either of them may stand, because the word in the original doth cōprehēd both significations; yet it seemeth that to search, or sift, fits this place better, considring the same manner of speech is atterwards continued in the word Chaff: so that the meaning of the Holy Ghost seemeth to be this: Search, try, and fan yourselves, least you be found light chaff, and so fly away and be consumed before the justice of God.

Concerning this duty of searching, let us observe first, that the holy Ghost urging the Jews to repent, useth not the word Repentance, but bids them search themselves: yet meaning, he, would have them to repent: giving us to understand, that no man can have true and sound repentance, but he who hath first of all searched and examined himself: and this stands with good reason, for no man can repent, who first of all doth not know himself, and his own wretchedness. But no man can see into himself, nor know himself, but he that doth diligently search himself: so that the beginning of all grace, is for a man to search and try, and fan himself, that thereby he may know what is in himself: that so upon the search, seeing his fearful and damnable estate, he may forsake himself & his own ways and turn to the Lord. Thus speaketh the holy Ghost in the hearts of holy men; Let us search and try our ways: and make what followeth; and turn again to the Lord: as though there were no turning again to the Lord, but after a searching of our selves. With this testimony of the holy Ghost, agreeth the testimony of all holy men's consciences, who all know, that the first beginning of their turning to the Lord, was a searching of themselves: Let any repentant sinner ask his conscience, and call to mind his first calling and conversion, and he will remember that the first thing in his repentance was this; that he searched into himself, and looked narrowly into his ways, and finding his ways dangerous, and his case fearful, did thereupon resolve to take a new course, and turn to the Lord for pardon and mercy, and for grace to enter into more holy, and more comfortable courses.

The man that passeth upon ridges of Mountains, and sides of hills, or that goeth over a narrow bridge, or some dangerous and steep Rocks, at midnight; feareth not, because he seeth no danger: but bring the same man, in the morning, and let him see the narrow bridge, he went over in the night, under which runs a violent stream, and a bottomless gulf, and the dangerous Mountains, and rocks, he passed over, and he will wonder at his own boldness, and shrink for fear to think of it, and will by no means venter the same way again: for now he seeth the height of the Mountains; the steepnesse of the Hilles, the cragginesse of the Rocks, the fearsul downfall, and the furious violence of the stream underneath, & thereby seeth the extreme danger, which afore he saw not: therefore he wondereth, & reioy • oth, that he hath escaped so great a da • nger; and will by no means be drawn to go that way in the day, which he went most carelessly in the darkness of the night, but seeketh another way (though it should be far about:) So a sinner in his first estate, which is natural and corrupt (as we are bred and borne) hath a veil before his face: so that he seeth nothing: the wrath of God and the curse due for sin, Hell and damnation seeking to devour him, he seeth them not, although (living always in sin,) he walketh in the very Iawes of Hell it self: and because he seeth not this fearful danger, therefore he refuseth no sin at all, but rusheth securely into all manner of sin: the night of impenitence, and the myst of ignorance so blinding his eyes, that he seeth not the narrow bridge of this life, from which if he slide, he falls immediately into the bottomless p • t of Hell.

But when as God's spirit hath by the light of God's word opened his eyes & touched his heart to consider his estate, then he seeth the frail bridge of this narrow life, and how little a sleppe there is between him and damnation; then he seeth Hell open due for his sins, and himself in the high way to it: sin being the craggy rock, and Hell the gaping gulf under it; this life being the narrow bridge, and damnation the stream which runneth under it: Then he wondereth at his miserable estate, admireth the mercy of God in keeping him from falling into the bottom of hell, wondereth at the presumptuous boldness of his corruption, which so securely plodded on towards destruction, and being ashamed of himself, and these his ways, he turns his heart to the God that saved him from these dangers; and sets himself into more holy ways, and more comfortable courses, and confesseth that ignorance made him bold, and blindness made him so presumptuous; but now he seeth the danger, and will by no means go the same way again: and thus the searching and seeing into the foulness of sin, and the danger thereof, is the first beginning of repentance, and the first step into grace.

This doctrine teacheth us what faith and repentance is general in the world: All men say, they believe, and have repented long ago; but try it well, and we shall find in the body of our Nation, but a lip faith, and a sippe Repentance: for even when they say so, they are blind and ignorant of their own estate, & know not themselves, but presume of themselves, that because they are baptized and live in the Church, therefore they are in God's favor, and in very good estate, when as they never yet were reconciled to God: and are so far from it, that they never yet saw any sins in themselves whereof they should repent: as a man traveling in the night, seeth no danger, but plods on without fear: So the most part of our common people, in the night of their ignorance, think and presume they love and fear God, and love their Neighbor; and that they have ever done so: Nay, it is the common opinion that a man may do so by nature, and that he is not worthy to live, who doth not love God with all his heart, and believe in Jesus Christ: But alas poor simple souls, they never knew what sin was, never searched nor saw into theirown harts with the light of God's law, for if they had, they should have seen such a Sea of corruption, that then they would confess it to be the hardest thing in the world, to love God, and to believe in Christ, and for sake sin: it is therefore manifest, that they have not yet begun to believe or repent, nor have entered into the first step of grace, which leadeth to repentance, for that they have not learned this lesson, which the Prophet teacheth: that is, to search themselves.

Furthermore, let us in the second place, observe better the signification of the word: it signifieth to Search narrowly, as a man would do for a piece of gold, or a p • cious Jewel, which is lost in a great house: Or as a man may search for gold in a Myne of the earth, where is much earth, and but very little gold Oare.

Hence we may learn, that in true Repentance, and conversion, we must not search so only, as to find the gross and palpable sins of our lives: but so as we may find those sins which the world accounts lesser sins, and espy our secret faults & privy corruptions. Some corruptions see memore near a kin to our nature, and therein men hope to be excused, when they forsake many other greater sins: But a true penitent sinner must search for such, so as a good Magistrate searcheth for a lurking 〈…〉 which is 〈◊〉 into some close and secret corner, and he must ranfack his heart for such corruptions, as wherein his heart takes special delight, and must thank that no sin can be so small, but it is too great to be spared, and that every sin great or little, must be searched for, as being all Tray 〈◊〉 to God's Majesty.

But alas, the practice •• the world is far otherwise, great sins are little sins, little sins are no sins: Nay, after a little custom, great sins are also little or nothing, and so at last men make no bones of gross and grievous sins: and for the most part men search so superficially, that they scarce find anything to be sin: such excuses are made, such distinctions are devised, such mittigations, such qualifications, such colors are cast upon all sins; as now up and down the world, gross sins are called into question, whether they be sins or no: and the great transgressions of the law are counted small matters, necessary evils or inconveniences, tolerated to avoid other evils: and what is he counted but a curious and a precise fool, which stands upon them: Ignorance after five and thirty years preaching is counted no sin, blind devotion in God's service no sin, lip labor in praying, vain and customable swearing, mocking of religion, and the professors thereof, no sin: profaning of the Sabbath, contemning of preachers, abusing of parents▪ no sins pride in apparel, superfluity in meats, beastly and ordinary drunkenness, fornication, no sins. Nay, decites, Cosonages, oppressing usury, notorious bribery, and covetousness, that mother sin; these are counted no sins: these beams are made but motes by profane men, & they are so minced and carved, or there is some such necessity of them, or some such other flourish or vernish must be cast upon thē, as that they are little or none at all. Alas, alas, is not that a simple & a silly search where such blocks as these are, lie vnspied? what are moulehils, when such mountains are not seen? Moates will be little regarded, where such beams are not discerned: but it is clear, that therefore there is no true trial nor diligent search made: for a true convert will search his heart for all, and will spare none: He deals in searching his own heart, as a good Justice of peace in searching for traitors or Seminary Priests. He seeks not superficially, but most exactly, and leaveth never a corner unsought, and he thinks great sins to be infinite, and little sins great, and judgeth no sin so small, but that it deserveth the 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 anger of God, & therefore he wonders at the mercy of God, which throws us not all down to hell in a moment: & he crieth out with holy Jeremiah: It is the Lord's mercy that we are not consumed. Away then with this superficial & hypocritical search, where so many sins are spared and not found out. It is Pharisaical, for even so the Pharisee, when he came into the Temple to reckon with God, and to tell what Traitors he had found, that is, what sins, upon good search he had espied, he returns his precept, all is well, he hath found never a one, but begins to thank God that he was so good, and so good, and not so il, and so il, nor yet like the Publican. The world is full of Pharisees, not only the popish Church: but even our Church swarms with these superficial searchers, who cannot (because they will not,) find any sins to present unto God, Men think in the Country, a Church Officer hazards his Oath, if he present all well, and findeth no fault in his Parish, to present as punishable to the Ordinary: for men think it impossible, that there should be none in a whole parish: then how doth that man hazard his own soul, who being made overseer & searcher of his heart, finds nothing in it to present to the Lord. For it is not more easy to espy outward & actual trāsgessions in a whole parish, then it is to find a heap of corruptions in a man's heart, if a man will search into the bottom of it with the light of God's Law. Therefore when the Lord comes and keeps his visitation, what shall become of such a man, but to undergo the strict and severe search of the Almighty, because he would not search himself?

Our bodies and lives are free from spanish Inquisition (which is one of the last props, which Satan hath lent the Pope, wherewith to uphold his declining kingdom) and the Lord grant we may be ever free from it. But in the mean time, that might put us in mind how to deal with our corrupt hearts, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 and unmortified affections, even to erect an Inquisition over them, to lay in wait for them, to search them narrowly, and to use them roughly: yea, to set our hearts upon the rack of God's law, that so it may confess the secret wickedness of it: for the Papists do not think us Protestants, greater enemies to their superstition, then the inward corruptions of our hearts, are to our salvation: therefore it may be a godly policy for every man, curn to erect an Inquisition over his own heart and conscience, and not to spare his most secret and dearest sins, and such as are nearest allied to his own nature: for that is the true search here commanded by the Prophet, and practiced by all Godly and holy men: when a man purposeth to find all that are, & to espy evē all his sins: for a godly man is never satisfied in his search, but still, the more he finds, he suspects the more are still behind: and therefore he continueth searching his own heart all his life long: Therefore let every, professor look to it betwixt God and his conscience, that he dally not with himself in ths case: for if he do, then, when God comes with his privy search, his hypocrisy shall be discovered, and his nakedness shall be laid open in the view of men, and Angels: to his eternal confusion.

Thirdly, Search, saith the Prophet, but not so content: he forceth it again, Even search you. In thus repeating and urging this exhortation, the holy Ghost gives them, and us to understand, that the true searching of a man's heart, and life, is a duty of a great moment, and special necessity: therefore he leaves it not after once naming it, but enforceth it the second time, as being no matter of indifferency, but of great necessity: thereby showing, that it is a principal duty in repentance, even the beginning and foundation of all true grace.

And further, it is a means also to prevent God's Judgments: for when men search not themselves, then God sends the fire of afflictions, and Crosses to try and Search them: but, when they Search themselves, then God spareth to Search them by his judgments.

Now in that this duty of searching, is both the beginning of all true grace, and the mean to stay God's judgments, and therefore is so pithely, and forcibly urged by the holy Ghost, it must teach us all a necessary lesson: namely, to make great conscience of searching our selves. First, because God hath so commanded, and we are to make conscience of obedience to every commandment. Secondly, because thereby we shall reap two so great commodities, as first, thereby we shall lay a sure foundatiō for the good work of grace in us, and secondly, shall stay the hand of God, and his judgments from being executed upon us. Let us therefore hearken to this counsel of the holy ghost, let us take the fan of the Law, and therewith search and winnowe our hearts and lives. Our hearts, for secret and hidden corruptions. Our lives, for committing of evil, and omitting of good. Do with your hearts as men do with their wheat: they will not suffer their corn to lie long in the chaff, least the chaff hurt it, but commits it to the fan that the wind may separate them: So the graces of God in our hearts are pure corn, our sins and corruptions are Chaff: look well, and thou shalt find in thyself much chaff, and but little corn: let not then the chaff lie too long mingled with the Corn, lest it corrupt the corn. Let not thy sins lie mingled with the grace of God in thee, if thou do, they will choke it in the end, and so deprive thee of all grace; therefore rip up thy heart, and look into thy life, and when thou hast sinned, enter into thyself, ask thy conscience what thou hast done, & be not quiet till thou hast found out thy sin, and the foulness of it: and never think that thou knowest anything in Religion, till thou knowest what is in thine own heart. And what are thy special and priuiest corruptions, and look into thine own faults, not with a partial eye, but with a censorious, and a strait judgment, spare sin in no man, but especially condemn it in thyself.

But alas, these times of ours, cry out of another state, for even Jeremiah's case is ours: We may complain as he did, No man repents him of his wickedness, saying what have I done? the same is the sore of our people, and the sickness of all Nations: that every man runs on in his sins, from sin to sin carelessly: even as the barde horse into the battle. But how rare a thing is it, to find a man, that daily searcheth himself, & examines how he lives, and how the case standeth betwixt GOD and himself: and that when he hath done amiss, entereth into the closet of his heart, and strikes himself upon the breast, and disputes the case with himself, saying: What hane I done? O what is this, that I have done against God, against his Church, and against my own soul?

The want of this, is that, which the Prophet complains of in that place: not as though it were sufficient thus to do, in a man's own conscience: but because it is a good beginning, and a step to further grace. For if a man did seriously thus deal with his conscience after his sin, his conscience would shape him such an answer, and would tell him so roundly, what he had done, that he would take heed, how he did the same again, and look more narrowly, and warily to himself all the days of his life. Seeing therefore it is so necessary a duty, let everyone of us endeavor the practice of it, namely, to rip and ransack our hearts, and to search our ways unto the bottom.

Now for your better instruction, and furtherance in the performance hereof: you must know that this Search is to be made by the Law of God, for nothing else, but God's law can help us, & let us see y ^t which we must search for: for if we search by any other means, we may seek & search long enough, ere we find anything that will be matter of repentance. Ask the devil, he will tell thee all is well, & that thou art in an excellent estate: and God loves thee, and thou art sure of Heaven: this song the devil always sings for the most part til a man comes to die, for then he appears in his colors, but till then, he labors, to sing, and lull all men a sleep in the cradle of security. Ask our own flesh, & our own hearts and natures, and they will answer, and say, that all is well and safe, and that we have believed, and loved and feared God all our days. Ask the world, and men in the world: and they will answer, all is well; and they will say further, that thou art a right good fellow, and art worth twenty of these curious fools that stick upon points, & stand upon circumstances, as swearing and drinking, and good fellowship, and gaming, and such other nice and circumstanciall points: thus will worldly men answer: for thy profane course is acceptable to them, because thereby thou approuest the same in them. Nay, go further, and ask all human learning in the world, and it cannot tell thee what one sin is, nor what it is to offend God: so that there remains only the law of God, the light whereof will disclose the darkness of our hearts, and the justice whereof will reveal the unrighteousness & the perverseness of our natures: therefore to the law of God must we fly to help us in this Search.

And yet for our better help in this duty, and that there may be nothing wanting to that soul, that seeketh God, therefore we are further to know, that if we will search our selves by the law profitably, we must mark three rules, the truth whereof unless we know, acknowledge, and feel: we shall never see our own estate, nor profit by this Search, but plodde on from sin to sin, until we plunge into hell.

The first Rule is, that every man that came from Adam, sinned in the sin of Adam: Thou must therefore know, that his sin in eating the forbidden fruit, was thy sin: and thou sinnedst therein, as well as he (though thou wast then unborn) and that thou art guilty of it before God, and must answer for it to God's justice, unless Christ do it for thee. The reason hereof is, because we are his seed & posterity, we were thē in his loins, he was the father of us all: and was not a private mā as we are now, but a public person, the pledge of all mankind, and bare the person of us all at that time: therefore what he did then, he did it for himself, & for us: what covenant God made with him, was made for himself and us: what God promised him, and he to God, he promised for himself, & for us: what he received in his Creation, he received for himself, and for us: and what he gained or lost by his fall, he gained and lost for us, as for himself. He lost the favor of God, and original purity: therefore he lost it for all his posterity: guiltiness, and God's anger, and corruption of nature which he gained, he got for us all, as well as for himself. If we doubt of this point, it is proved by the Apostle: where the holy Ghost saith; Sin entered by one man, and death by sin: and that sin went over all, and that it went over all them, which sinned not in the like transgression with Adam (that is, even our children) who as they are borne, are borne not only tainted with original corruption: but guilty also of Adams sin. This is a most certain truth, though it seem strange, for few men think of it, that ever they shall answer for Adams sin: and therefore if any object, what reason is there that I answer for another man's sin? I answer, true, if it had been Adams sin alone: but it was his and thine also: for he was thy father and stood in thy room: and thou also since thou wast borne, hast confirmed what he did. Now therefore though not one of many thinks seriously thereof: namely, that he should stand guilty of a sin committed more then five thousand years before he was born, yet seeing it is most true, both in Scripture and good reason: let every man subscribe in his conscience to this truth. And let this be thy first resolution in this Search, that thou standest guilty of Adams transgression.

The second rule to be known is, that in every man are all sins: more plainly, that in every man by nature are the seeds of all sins: and that not in the worst, but in the best natured men: make choice of the best man and the greatest sin, and that worst sin is to be found in that best man. If any doubt of this, let him consider what original sin is, namely, a corruption of the powers of our souls; and that not of some, or in part, but of all, and wholly. This corruption hath two parts. First a want, not of some, but of all good inclination, a want of all goodness. Secondly, a depravation & proneness, not to some, but to all evil: and not a proneness only, but original sin infuseth into every man's heart, the seed of all corruption.

Many men stand much upon their good meaning, and upright heart, and brag of a good nature: but they are foully deceived; for take the ciuilest man upon the earth, and the seeds of all sins in the world are in him by nature. But to explain this point fully, observe these two clauses.

First, I say not, the practice of all sins, but the seeds; for all men practice not all sin: the seeds are in their nature▪ but the practice is restrained, sometime by education, sometime by good and wholesome laws, sometime the constitution of men's bodies deny the practice of some sins, sometime the Country a man dwells in, or calling a man lives in, keeps him from the practice of some sins: and always a general and limitting grace of God, restrains the natures of all men from running into many sins: which hand of God, if God should take away, and leave every man to his nature, we should see that every man would practice any sin in the world: yea, even the greatest sins that ever we heard to be done in the world. All men which know themselves know this to be true. And the more a man knows his own heart, the more he seeth that his heart is a sea of all wickedness: & that it is the mercy and grace of God, that he hath not fallen into the mightiest & most monstrous sins in the world.

Secondly, I say, by nature. For I know by good education, & by grace, it is otherwise: grace rectifieth nature, but that is no thanks to nature: for it is as evil and corrupt still, being severed from grace: and therefore nature must be fully abolished, afore man come to heaven. And yet (though all this be true (I say not, that sin breaks out in all natures alike, though all natures be alike corrupt: for the course of nature is restrained in some more then others, by the means aforesaid; but this is the truth, that whereas some are not so angry, some not so wanton, some not so cruel, some not so covetous, some not so ambitious, &c. as others: that comes not from any goodness of nature in them, above the other originally, but from God's hand, which tempereth, restraineth, and moderateth every man's nature as he seeth good.

And if God did not thus moderate & restrain the natures of men, but suffer them to break out to the full: there would then be no order, but all confusion in the world: therefore, (as especially for his Churches quietness, so also for the preseruatiō of public peace, and the upholding of society in the world between man and man) the Lord holds a hand over every man's nature, and keeps everyone in a certain compass limited by the wisdom of his power, which restraining hand of his, if the Lord should take away: all societies and common wealths would be turned upside down, because every man by the universal corruption of his nature, would break out into every sin: I ende this point with appealing to the testimony of the consciences of all men, and especially of the best and holiest men, of whom I would ask this question, whether they find not in their natures an inclination, even to the foulest sins in the world; if shame, or fear, or else the grace of God restrained them not? so that the best men do know well enough, what ado they have with their corrupt natures, to keep them within the compass of Obedience.

Nay, I yet add further, the nature of men, and of all men is so corrupt, since Adam: that even the seed of the sin against the holy Ghost, and a proneness to it, is in the nature of every man (though not one man amongst many thousands do commit that sin,) for seeing in that sin, there is a heap or Sea of all sins gathered together, he therefore that hath in his nature the seed of all sins, hath also the seed of it. And again, seeing all evil tendes to a perfection, as well as grace doth; what reason therefore is there, but we may safely think that the Devil would hale everyone to that height of sin: if it were not that the powerful hand of God prevented him, who will neither suffer wicked men, nor the Devil himself to be so wicked as they could, and would be.

The use of this second rule, is notable. For in this searching of our selves, it showeth us what we are, without all colors or deceit, and fully discovers unto us, the ugliness of our natures: and it may teach us all how to think and esteem of our selves, when we hear of Cain's unnatural murder, Pharohs unnatural cruelty, the Sodomites unnatural lust, Achitophles, diuilish policy, Sennacherib's horrible blasphemy, 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Judas monstrous treason, Julian's fearful Apostasy. When we hear of the fearful murders, treasons, periuties, sins against nature, blasphemies, Apostacies, witchcrafts, and other the horrible sins of the world: let us then return into our selves, & look homewards, even into our own hearts, and confess everyone, that these should have been even thy sins also, if God's grace had not prevented thee.

This will humble thee, and make thee think vilely, & basely of thyself, and so consequently bring thee to repentance and true amendment: and the very reason, why men repent not, nor amend their ways, is, because they are Pharisees by nature, and think highly of themselves, and of their own natures, and their natural inclinations: this will be a harsh and a strange Doctrine to them: Oh, they have excellent natures, and they cannot endure such, and such sins, and they thank God, they are not as ill as others: but let all such men know, they must cease magnifying nature, and learn to magnify God's grace. Let them know, that nature in them, is in the Roote, as much corrupt, as in the worst man in the world, and every man's heart is a bottomless fountain of all sin; therefore praise not thy nature, but God's grace and mercy, in giving thee so good a nature; or rather, so well restraining, and rectifying thy nature; and stay not there, but desire of the Lord, that as he hath given thee a better tempered nature, thē to other men: so also he would bestow on thee his special and saving grace: and as he hath kept thee from the fearful sins of others (thou being as ill, naturally, as they) so he would also lead thee into the way of salvation, which else the best nature in the world, can never attain unto.

The third rule to be known and practiced by him, who will truly search himself, is, that every man borne of Adam, is by nature, the child of wrath, and God's enemy: this is true of all without exception; High or Low, Rich or poor, noble or simple, borne in the visible Church or without. And further, by being enemy of God, he is therefore borne subject to hell, to damnation, and to all other curses: so that look as a Traytour convicted, stands thereby in his Princes high displeasure, and is sure of death without special pardon: so stands every man, when he is borne, convicted of high treason against God, in his high disfauour; and is in danger of Hell, which is the fulfilling of the wrath of God. Thus David confesseth of himself. I was borne in iniquity, and in sin hath my Mother conceined me: If in sin, then in God's wrath, and under the danger of damnation, If any ask, how, or why this is so. I answer, the truth, as also the equity of this third rule depends on the two former: for, because every man is borne guilty of Adams great sin, and also tainted originally with all corruption & a proneness to all sin: therefore it followeth in equity and justice, that every man is borne under the wrath and curse of God. This point is a plain and evident truth: yet men in the world think not so, and it is the cause, why men repent not of their sins: for most men think that by nature, they are in God's favor; and therefore they need not to sue for it in humiliation and repentance; but only live ciuily, and do no open wrong, and all is well: whereas (alas) there is no condemned Traytour, more out of his Princes favor, nor more sure of death without a pardon, then all we are out of God's favor, and sure of damnation, unless we procure God's favor again, by faith and repentance,

For the better opening of this third rule, and the manifesting of the truth: let us know further, that the curse of God, under the which we are all borne, is three-fold.

The first, is a bondage under Satan: It is a certain truth that every man as he is borne of his Parents, and till he repent, is a slave of Satan: man or woman, high or low, Satan is his Lord and Master. He sits as judge in his heart; and in this sense Satan is the King of the Nations, and God of the world. Men will in words defy Satan, and not name him without defiance, and spitte at him; and yet (alas,) he is in their hearts: they spit him out of their mouths, but he is lower; they should also spitte him out of their hearts, and that is true defiance indeed: for alas, he lodgeth in thy heart, and there he makes his Throne, and reigns until the spirit of regeneration dispossess him: and till then, no servant is so subject to his master, no slave to his Lord, as is the heart of man by nature unto Satan, the prince of darkness. Nay, our bondage, is more fearful, then the slavery of any poor Christian, in the Spaniards, or in the Turks Gallies: for their bodies are but in bondage, and at command, and under punishment: but our best part, our heart, our conscience, our soul it self is captivated unto him, and under his command, who is the King of cruelty, and confusion, and Lord of Hell, whose commandments are Injustice, whose service is sin, and whose hire is damnation.

The second part of the Curse, is the first death, or the death of the body: that is, a separation of the soul and body a sunder for a time, namely, till the last judgment. This death is duly and justly the punishment of any one, or the least sin: therefore, how due and just a punishment upon that horrible heap of sinfulness, which is in every man's nature▪ and it is a most terrible curse. For it is the very gate of hell, and the downfall to damnation, unto all men, but such, as by faith and repentance do get their death sanctified by the death of Christ: unto such men indeed it is no curse, but a gracious and glorious blessing, for it is altered by Christ his death. But unto all men by nature, and which repent not, it is the heavy curse of God's wrath, and the very downfall into the gulf of Hell.

The third part of the curse, under which every man is borne, is, the second death: the death of soul and body; which is the eternal want of God's presence, and the accomplishment of his wrath: and an apprehension and feeling of that wrath, seizing on body, soul, and conscience. The first curse, was a spiritual death; the death of the soul, The second a temporary death, the death of the body. The third, is an eternal death, a death both of soul and body together; and forever. This eternal death is the curse of all curses, the misery of all miseries, and torment of all torments: and I show it thus. Often when thy tooth acheth, and sometime when thy head acheth, or in the pain of the stone or collicke, thou wouldest give all that thou hast in the world to be eased of that pain: Nay, in the exstremitie of some fits, many will wish them-selves even out of the world: Now, if the pain of one tooth, can so far distemper mind and body, that it cannot be relieved with all the pleasures of this life; O then, what a torment shall that be? when not one kind of pain, but the whole viole of God's wrath shall be poured, not on one member, but on the whole soul body, and conscience, and that not for a time, under hope of better: but eternally without hope of release; and that not in this world, where there are comforts, helps and remedies: but in that ugly and darksome place of torments: and that not amongst living men, which might mitigate thy pain, or else bemoan thee, and beway leit with thee: but with the Devils, and damned spirits, which will now laugh at thy destruction, and solace themselves in this thy misery, and will rejoice, as thou didest serve them in earth, so now in hell to be thy tormēters. It may be therefore (by the way), good warning and wisdom to us all, when we feel the extremity of some bodily pain, to consider with our selves, and say: O then, what shall be my misery and torment if I repent not; when not one member, but soul, body, and conscience, shall be racked and tormented in the feeling and apprehension of the anger of the Lord of Hosts.

In these three points, stands that curse and wrath of God, under which every man is borne. And these do answer to the three degrees of sin, which are in us: for as the two first Rules taught us, there is in every man by nature, till he repent, a three-fold guiltiness. First, a guiltiness of Adams sin. Secondly, the taint of original, and universal corruption. Thirdly a pollution by many outrageous actual sins. In the first of these, every man is equally guilty. In the second, every man is equally corrupt. But in the third, everyone keeps that compass, within which the Lord will keep them, by his limitting power.

Now as in our guiltiness of Adams sin, sin hath his beginning: In original sin, his continuance: in actual sin, his perfection: So answerable hereunto, the wrath of God (which always standeth opposite to sin) is begun in leaving us by nature to the slavery of Satan, is continued by death, and is accomplished in damnation.

And now these three Rules, I commend to the careful & Christian consideration of you all: certifying you from God, that as you can never be saved, unless you repent: nor repent, unless you Search yourselves (as here the Prophet bid death) So, that you can never search yourselves aright, til you be persuaded, and resolved of these three Rules, and of the truth of them all, even in your hearts and consciences: namely, First, that thou art guilty of Adams sin. Secondly, that thou art prone by nature to all evil in the world. Thirdly, that for these, thou art subject to the wrath of God, and to all the curses of his wrath: but when thou art in heart, & conscience resolved, that these are true, then thou art a fit Scholar, for this Lesson of the Prophet, Search thyself. For when thou goest, thus prepared unto this Search, and esteemest of thyself, as these three Rules have described thee: then if thou Search into thyself, thou wilt find thyself, and thy estate to be such, as will cause thee to repent, return and take a new course: therefore, what the Prophet said to those Jews, I say unto you also, my brethren of this Realm of England, who are here now gathered together out of so many countries, & quarters of this Realm: yea, in the name of the same God, I cry unto you. Search, O Search yourselves: and think it not a matter indifferent to do, or not to do it: but know it, that God commands you, as ever you will come to salvation: Search yourselves. And the rather, because by these three Rules▪ you see how much chaff of corruption is in your nature, and what need therefore it hath to be searched into, and fanned by Repentance. Be well assured: thou man, whatsoever thou art: there is so much Chaff in thee, that if thou search not, and fan it not out, thou wilt prove nothing but Chaff at the last day, and so be blown away with the wind of God's justice into Hell. Take hold therefore of this exhortation, and defer it not.

Thou wilt not suffer thy Wheat to lie too long in the chaff, for fear of hurting it: Is it then safe to suffer the chaff of thy sins and corruptions, to lie cankering and rotting in thy heart? Be sure that that little portion of grace, which thou attainest unto, by living in the Church, and under the Ministry of the Word of GOD, will be putrifyed, and clean corrupted with the Chaff of thy sins: therefore again, and again, I exhort you to make conscience of this duty: Search into yourselves, fan out this Chaff, this presumption of ours, and high esteeming of our own nature, and conceits of God's favor before we have it: that so this Chaff being blown away, the Lord may then bestow upon us soundness of grace, & the foundation of all goodness, which is a holy & humbled heart.

Salnation is such a building, as the foundation thereof had need to be sure and strong: Ignorance, blindness, and presumption, are not sufficient foundations for such a building: therefore as no man will build a strong house upon any earth, but will first search it, least it prove Sandie, & so overthrow all: So a wise Christian will not build his salvation, upon fancies & conceits, and natural presumptions: but will Search, and look into his heart: and finding these to be sandy, and rotten, and therefore too weak for the foundation of so glorious a building, will refuse them all, and labor to furnish his heart with such sound grace, as whereupon he may trust so weighty a work, as is the Salvation of his soul. Again, if thou wilt stand in the day of trial, then Search thy heart betime, and discern betwixt Chaff & Wheat: thou seest, that chaff flieth away before the wind; but good corn endures the Fan, and the fury of the wind: so in the day of trial, temptation, sickness, or open persecution, the chaff of natural presumption, and outward formality in Religion, will fly away: and it must be the penitent, humbled, and believing heart, which must then abide it out, and endure the fan of temptations and persecutions.

And to conclude, Let not the Devil deceive thee, in making thee imagine or hope to please God, and yet to let thy corruptions lie unseen, and thy sins vnsearched out, least thereby thou mar all: for thou usest not to lay up-wheat in thy garners, until it be purged from the Chaff: so think not to store up any saving knowledge, or any other grace of God in thy heart, until the chaff of vanity be first blown away, that so the holy graces of God, may be laid up in the garners of thy soul. And therefore questionless (to speak one word to touch our common professors, in the very sore of their soul) all knowledge that is stored up in these impure and vnsearched hearts: is even as Wheat laid up in the Chaff, which is (a thousand to one) sure to be eaten up by the chaff, so that, when the winnowing time of trial and persecution comes: I fear, that such men will (for all their knowledge) shrink aside, and betray the truth: there knowledge then proving no better then chaff, because it was laid up in an unholy heart: If therefore, thou wouldest stand and endure when Popery, or persecution, or temptations come, if thou wouldest abide the fury of the fan of temptations: now, then exercise thy heart with the fan of GOD'S law, Search and ransack it, purge out the chaff of corruption, and store up knowledge in an holy heart, and a good conscience, and that will abide the violence of all temptations: yea, when God suffers the Devil to do with us, as he did with Peter, to winnow us like Wheat, to sift and try us, as he did Job, with the furious wind of all his malice: this knowledge will prove Wheat, that will abide the wind, and gold that will abide the fire: thus glorious will it be in the ende, if we follow this holy Prophets council, and Search our hearts.

And thus much for the first point (namely) the duty of Searching here commanded, in which we have stayed the longer, because it is the foundation of all the rest: and this being well laid, the whole building wilt go up the faster.

Now we come to the second general point here laid down: that is, whom must we Search? the Prophet answereth: yourselves not other mē, but yourselves. This search so urged and enforced by the Prophet, must not be of other men's hearts and lives, but of our own: our own are our charge, and not other men's: and therein is the saying true, which else is most false: Every man for himself: for as every soul must be saved by it self so must it believe, Repent, and search it self.

The duty therefore here commanded, is, for every man that would have his soul to be saved, to Search it, and reform it, and leave others to be searched by themselucs. Here the holy Ghost meets with the common corruption of this world, (and that is) that men are Eagle eyed, to see into the lives of other men, but to look into their own hearts, and lives, they are blinder then Moles: they can see motes in other men's lives, but discern not beams in their own: whereby it comes to pass, that they stumble and fall foully: for the eyes of most men are set upon others, & not upon them selves: and thereupon it is, that an evil, man seeing other men, & not himself: thinks best of himself, & worst of other men: but contrariwise, a good man seeing himself, & not other men, thinks worst of himself, and better of other men: an evil man looks outward, and judgeth other men: but a good mā looks homeward & judgeth himself: and in judging, condemns himself, far above other men: and that because by searching into his own heart and ways, he knows that by himself, which he knows not, by any man in the world besides.

So then we must search, not other men, but our selves: our own hearts and our own lives are our charge, and burden: the lives of other men concern us not, being private mē, further thē, either to follow them being good, or take heed of them being evil: but to search, or to be inquisitive into them, is no duty commanded us, but rather a foul & a base vice forbidden of God. Indeed Magistrates in their people, Pastors in their congregations, and house-holders in their families are to search: but they can search only for criminal causes, or open actual sins: but this searching must be of our hearts, which no man can search, but our selves only. Few men have a calling to inquire into other men's lives, but every man hath a calling to search into himself: but (alas) men do far otherwise, they suffer themselves to rotte in their own sins, and erect an Inquisition over other men's lives, & it is to be seen in daily experience, that those men, who are the great Searchers and priers into other men, are the neglecters and forgetters of themselves: And contrariwise they who do narrowly search themselves and their own ways, and look into the corners of their own hearts, do find so much work to do with themselves that they little busy themselves, with other men.

And thus much may suffice for that point.

It followeth.

O Nation not worthy to be beloved.

The third point: Who must search? the Jews, who are here termed a Nation, not worthy to be beloved: & yet for all that, they are bid to search themselves, that so upon their Repentance, they might be beloved. Where, we may see the unspeakable love of God, and his wonderful mercy, offering grace unto such men, as are altogether unworthy of it. God's children are by nature like other men, and God finds nothing in them, why to respect them above others: but even of his own mercy, makes them worthy, who of themselves are not: therefore how worthy is that God, to have all the love of our hearts, who loved us, when we were not worthy to be beloved.

But let us examine more particularly, why GOD doth call the Jews a Nation, not worthy to be beloved: I answer, God had blessed them above other Nations: He gave them his Covenant of grace, and thereby made them his people, & committed to their trust, his holy word and Oracles: but he dealt not so with other Nations, neither had the Heathē knowledge of his laws. Besides all this, they had a better land then others about them, it flowed with Milk, and Honie, (that is, with all commodities, & delights) and though their Country was but little: yet themselves so populous, and so powrefull, that whilst they pleased GOD, no enemy durst set upon them.

Thus for soul and body, they were every way a Nation, blessed of God, a people beloved of God above all others. Now, how did this people (thus beloved of their God,) requite this his love, which they had no more deserved, then any other Nation? Certainly, as they deserved it not afore they had it: so they requited it not, when they had it: but requited this love of God with sin, with rebellion, and with disobedience. They tempted him, they provoked him to wrath, they presumed of his mercy, & proved a most stubborn and stiffnecked people, a froward generation: Moses partly saw this in his own experience, & better discerned it in the spirit of Prophesy: and therefore wondering at this their wickedness, he cried out, Do you thus requite the Lord: O foolish people, & unwise? thus: that is with sin, & disobedience, which is the only means to displease the Lord, & to provoke him to wrath: for this cause, they are worthily called a foolish and unkind people by Moses, and here, by the Prophet. A Nation, not worthy to be beloved, namely, for their unthankfulness, and unkindness: which was such, as they not only were slack, and careless in performance of such duties as God required: but even multiplied their sins, & committed those foul rebellions, which his soul hated.

And amongst many, the Prophet here in this Chapter, noteth three of their great sins: for which they were a Nation not worthy to be beloved. Covetousness, Crueltie, and Deceite: all which were the more heinous and intolerable, because they were the sins of their Princes, their Rulers, and their priests: who should have been lights and examples to the rest.

Now, although every sin in it self, is of that ill desert, as it is able to cast us out of God's favor, and deprive us of his love: yet, behold, here God complains, not upon a little cause, but for wonderful, & exceeding unthankfulness, & unkindness in them: who of all other should have loved the Lord.

As a man cares not for hard usage from him, whom he esteems not: but a little unkindness doth greatly grieve a man, from him who is loved and respected: so is it with the Lord our God, he loved not the Gentiles, as he did the Jews, neither was he so bountiful unto them: and therefore, (as we may see) though they lived always in ignorance, and continued always in disobedience, yet, the Text saith, the time of that ignorance God regarded not: but when as the Jews, his own people, whom he chose out of all people, & bestowed his love upon them, and made his Covenant of grace with thē, when they became unkind, unthankful, forgetful, stubborn, and rebellious, that caused the Lord even to complain of the indignity, and to cry out by Moses. Do ye thus requite the Lord: O foolish people & unwise? And hereby the Prophet, O nation, not worthy to be beloved: & therefore there is no man, but if he be asked what he thinks of this Nation of the Jews: he will answer, that they are a most vile & wicked people, a froward generation, and that they are worthy to taste deeply, of all God's plagues, who so far abused his love and mercy.

But what doth this belong to them alone? and is Israel only a Nation not worthy to be beloved? Nay, I may cry out with as good cause: O England, a nation not worthy to be beloved. For, God hath been as good a God to us, as he was to them: and we have been as unkind a people to him, as they were to him: But that I may be free from discrediting our nation, and from defiling my own Nest: let us prove both these points, and lay them open to the view of the world.

1 First therefore, the same mercies, and far greater, have been poured & heaped upon us: he hath called us out of the darkness; First, of Heathenism, & then of Popery: his covenant of grace and salvation, he hath confirmed with us, his treasures of his word and Sacraments, he hath imparted to us: his holy word never better preached, and the mysteries thereof never more plainly opened, since the time of the Apostles: and as we have Religion, so we have it under a religious prince, whereby it comes to pass, that these blessings of salvation, we enjoy not in secret, or by stealth: but we have it countenanced by authority: so that religion is not barely allowed, but even as it were thrust upon men. Besides all this, we have a land also, that floweth with milk & honey, it is plentiful in all good things: we have liberty, & peace under a peaceable prince, and the companions of peace: prosperity, plenty, health, wealth, corn, Woole, gold, silver, abundance of all things, that may please the heart of man: thus hath God deserved the love of England.

2 But now England, how hast thou requited this kindness of the Lord? certainly even with a greater measure of unkindness: that is, with more and greater sins then ever Israel did: so that if Moses spake true of them: then may our Moses much more truly cry out against England, doest thou thus requite the Lord, thou foolish people? And if this Prophet said thus of Israel for three sins: then may it be said of England, for 300 sins (O England) a Nation not worthy to be beloved: for thou hast multiplied thy transgressions, above theirs of Israel; even as though, thou haddest resolved with thyself, the more God's kindness is heaped on thee, the more to multiply thy sins against him. For thou England, as thou hast requited the Lord with sins; so not with a few sins or small sins; or sins, which hardly could have been prevented: for that had been a matter of some excuse, or not of so great complaint. But thy sins are many, and grievous, and capital. And which is worst of all, willful and affected, even as though God had deserved evil of us and that therefore we ought maliciously to requite him.

If any man make doubt of this, and therefore think I speak too hardly of our Church: I will then deal plainly, and particularly, and rip up the sores of our nation, that so they may be healed to the bottom.

The common sins of England, wherewith the Lord is requited, are these. First, ignorance of God's will and worship, (I speak not of that compelled ignorance, in many corners of our Land, which is to be pitied because they want the means) but willful, and affected ignorance. Men are ignorant, even because, they will be ignorant. Means of knowledge were never so plentiful, and yet never more gross ignorance: is not he willfully blind, who will not open his eyes in the Light? and can there be any darkness at Noone day, but it must be willful? but our Nation is dark and blind in the Sunshine of the Gospel: and grossly ignorant, when the Gospel beats their ears, and light shines round about them; so, as if they closed not their eyes, and stopped not their ears, they could not, but both hear & see; who would look for ignorance after 35 years preaching? & yet, many are as ignorant, as if they had been borne & brought up under Popery: so that our people are as evil as those in the days of Christ, of whom the holy ghost saith Light is come into the world; but men love darkness more then light: so knowledge is come into England: but many Englishmen love ignorance better then knowledge. Alas, how many thousands have we in our Church, who know no more in religiō, then they hear in common talk of all men, & which is worse, they think it sufficient also, and which is worst of all, whereas they might have more, they will not, but care not for it.

2 The second main sin of England, is: Contempt of Christian Religion. Religion hath been among us these five and thirty years: but the more it is published, the more it is contemned, and reproached of many: in so much, as there is not the simplest fellow in a country town, who, although he knows not one point of religion, yet he can mock, and scorn such as are more religious then himself is: this is one of the moaths of England, that eats up religion, this is grievous in whomsoever, but most intolerable in two sorts of men. First, in them, who are altogether ignorant: that they should mock they know not what. A pitiful thing to hear one, who himself cannot give the meaning of one petition in the Lord's prayer, to upbraid other men, because they are too forward: but it is the worst of all, when men of knowledge, and such as live civilly, and would be counted good Christians: and are indeed of the better sort: cannot abide to see others go, a little before them: but if they do: presently, they are Hypocrites and dissemblers: Thus not profaneness, nor wickedness; but even Religion it self is a by-word, a mocking-stock, and matter of reproach: so that in England, at this day, the man or woman that begins to profess religion, and to serve God, must resolve with himself to sustain mocks, and injuries, even as though he lived among the enemies of religion, and not among professors: and as religion increaseth and spreadeth it self: so doth the number of these mockers: O what a cursed sin is this? to contemn the greatest favor, that God can give us; that is his holy religion: for the which, we should rather praise him all the days of our lives. All that God can give a man in this world, is his Gospel: what then can God give to be regarded, when his gospel is contemned?

This sin was never amongst the Jews: they indeed regarded it not so as it deserved, but who did ever make a mock and a scorn of it but England? O England, how canst thou answer this. God sends thee the most precious Jewel, that he can send to a Nation; and thou scornest it, and them that bring i • , and them that receive it; even as though it were no blessing, but a curse: so that as Christ saith to the Jews, for which of my good works do you stone me; So may the Lord say to England: I have given thee a fruitful land, a blessed Prince, gold and silver, peace and liberty: plenty and prosperity: for which of these (O England) doest thou contemn my religion? The least of these deserve love; but England hath a better then all these; that is, his Gospel and word of salvation: and yet, that also is contemned (as being nothing worth) and those which confess it, and those that bring it, and consequently God himself that gave it. If England had no more sins but this: this deserves, that it should be said of us, that we are a Nation unworthy to be loved above all Nations, for some Nations would have religion, that they might love it, but they cannot have it: some have it, and do love it: some have it, and love it not: but in no Nation is it made a mocking-stock, but in England. And where are those men, but in England, who (like the dog in the manger) will neither entertain Religion themselves, nor suffer them that would: let us in time take heed of this sin, as a sin that crieth to God, to revenge so vile a dishonor done to his majesty: neither is there any sin that more certainly foreshewes, and more forcibly hastens the removing of the Gospel from us. For high time is it to cease loving, where love procures disdain. And to stay giving, where gifts are scorned.

Carry home this lesson to your great towns & cities, where you dwell, for in these populous places are these great mockers, for where God hath his professors, the devil hath his mockers; & reap̄t betimes of this sin, for hold on in mocking, & be sure that God (who will not be mocked) will remove his gospel frō you; but if you leave this sin, and entertain the gospel, (as it worthily deserus) then be sure of it, God will continue the Gospel, to you, and your posterities after you, in the face of all your enemies round about you.

3 The third common sin of England, is, Blasphemy, many ways, but especially in vain swearing, false swearing, and forswearing, and the abuse of all the names and titles of the Lord God. This sin is general, even over the whole land, especially, in Fairs, and Markets, where men for a little gain, will not care to cal the Lord of Hosts to be witness to a lie, and the God of truth, to testify an untruth. And which is worst of all, God's holy name is used in vain oaths, and ordinary talk. When men have no cause to swear at all: so that, it is most lamentable to see and observe, that the name of any man of honor, or worship, is used more reverently, and less abused, then that fearful and glorious name: the Lord our God.

4 The fourth general and great sin is, Prophanation of the Sabbath. A common sin everywhere, and yet so great a sin, that where it reigns, in that Country, congregation, family, man or woman, there is no fear of God, nor any true grace in them: for the keeping of the saboath, is the maintaining, increasing, and publishing of religion.

5 The fifth sin of our Nation, is, unjust dealing in bargaining betwixt man and man. How hard is it to find an honest, simple, plain dealing man: and that even in such great assemblies as this is, I fear present experience will testify: you are now many thousands gathered together, some to buy, some to sell, some to exchange: Remember, that I have told you, an honest hearted and plain dealing man is hard to find: therefore labor to approve yourselves sincere hearted men. remember the counsel of the holy Ghost: Let no man oppress nor defraud his brother, in bargaining: for the Lord is the avenger of all such things These sins are general and universal as a cancker: And so are the sins of the 6. 7. and 8. Commandments (though they be not altogether so common as these be) Murthers, Adulteries, Usuries, Briberies, Extorsions, Cousenages, they are a burden, under which, our earth groans; and they cry against us to heaven, so that upon as good or much better cause may it be said to us, as to the Jews: O Nation not worthy to be beloved.

Look at the outward face of our Church, at the signs of God's love, which are amongst us, and at God's dealing with us; and behold, we are a most beautiful Church, a glorious Nation, a Nation to be admired, and wondered at: but look at the lives of our ordinary professors, look at our sins, and at our requiting of God's love: and we are a people of Sodom, as full of iniquities as they were, whose sins are so many, so rife, and so ripe; that at the last they will evē bring down fire & brimstone, or some other strange judgment upon us, if repentance do not prevent it, or the cries and prayers of holy men stay not God's hands. So, then let us all here assembled, grant & confess, that we are a Nation so far from being worthy to be beloved, as that we are most worthy to be hated, & to have all the wrath of God poured upon us.

Now then, are we so? and shall we continue so still? Nay, that is the worst, and most wretched of all: then let everyone of us learn this duty, enter into our selves, Search our hearts and lives, that they may lie open to our own sight, to the confusion of us in our selves, that in God by repentance we may be raised up.

Our sins lie open before the face of God, and stink in his presence, and and cry for vengeance: and before the face of God's Angels, who bewail it, and before the face of the Devil, who rejoiceth in our confusions: and shall they lie hid only to our selves? Now then, if we would have them hid from God, and stop the cry, that they make against us, and keep them from Satan, who accuseth us for them: we must so Search our selves, that they may lie open to our own hearts: remember thou thy sins, and God will forget them: lay them open before thy own face, and God will hide them from his: write them up for thy own self, and God will blot them out of his remembrance: but if contrariwise, thou hidest them: then assure thyself, the more thou hidest, and buriest them, the more open do they lie in the face of GOD: and then what will follow, but that they will all be disclosed at the last day, to thy eternal confusion. Therefore again, and again, I exhort you in the name of GOD, Search yourselves, find out your sins, confess them to GOD, freely, and ingeniously; confess their desert to be Hell and damnation, humble your hearts to God, cry and call for pardon, as for life and death, purpose and promise to leave them, begin a new course of life, believe steadfastly, and doubt not of pardon and forgiveness in the blood of Christ, continue in that faith, and that new course of life: So may England prevent God's judgments, and quench that great action of unkindness, which God hath against them, and become a Nation as worthy (upon their faith and repentance) in Christ to be beloved: as for their peace and prosperity, they have been of all nations of the earth admired.

Hitherto, of the third general point.

4 The fourth general point in this exhortation, is the time limited them, when they should Search. Before the Decree come forth &c. As though the Prophet should say. Israel, repent, before God execute his judgments on thee. For behold the gracious dealing of God: Man sinneth, his sins deserve plagues: but GOD presently plagueth not, but defers it, he puts a time betwixt the sin and the punishment (ordinarily:) this he doth to show his mercy to mankind, because that he would not destroy them, if they would amende. Therefore, after the sin, he smites not presently, but puttes of his punishment, that in the mean time man may Repent. Here the Prophet compares the Lord to a mother; for as she conceives the fruit in her womb, and bears it a long time, ere she bring it out: so the Lord after a man's sins, or a people's sins, conceive (that is) ordains, and decreeth a judgment for it, but he keeps it up, and all that while he hears it: But as she, when her time is come, then travails and brings forth: so, when the time that God hath appointed, is come, and still sin is not repented of: then his justice travails to be delivered of that judgment, which mercy hath kept up so long a time. Thus the old world had an hundred & twenty years given them for time of repentance; all that while God was in conceiving, at last when there sins were ripe, and no hope of amendment: then GOD traveled, and brought forth a fearful birth, namely the universal flood, to wash away, and take revenge upon the universal iniquities of those times. So many hundred years he gave unto the Jews, long he was in conceiving their destruction, and oftentimes he had it at the bringing forth, as in the captivity of Babylon, and under Antiochus; yet his mercy stayed it: and still he trauailled longer: tells them here by the Prophet, that yet the Decree is not come forth, (though it be conceived:) but at last when Israel would not Repent, but grew worse, and worse; (as in Christ his time) then he could contain no longer, but traveled indeed, and though it be with grief, yet he hath brought forth: and what? a most fearful birth, even an utter disolation of that kingdom and Country, of their City, and Temple, and a dispertion of their Nation over all the world: but as a woman at last is delivered with danger, and difficulty, with pain and sorrow: so the Lord long conceives, but at last brings forth his judgments: yet it is with grief and unwillingness, and he is loath (as it were) and much agrieued to execute his most just judgments on those, who have professed his name: he often touched the Jews a little, and as being unwilling to smite them: he drue back his hand again: but at last when their sins did so increase, and were so strong, that they even did wring out, by violence his plagues from him, then with much bewailing of their great misery (as we may see in Christ, weeping for them,) he executes his judgments on them. But as they are long a coming: so, when they come forth, they were the heavier; as a child, the more fullness of time it hath, is the greater, the liuelier, and the stronger: so, God's judgments, the longer God deferreth them, and is in conceiving them, the heavier are they, when they come: that is manifest in the Jews▪ once his own people, for he hath destroyed their land with an irrecoverable destruction, and smitten their posterity with a blindness of mind til this hour, so that to this day, when the Old Testament is read, the veil is over their eyes, that they cannot see the light of Christ Jesus, but plodde on in fearful and palpable blindness.

This Doctrine hath special use to this our Church, to teach us to look to our selves betimes, and try our own ways, and turn to the Lord, for we cannot tell how far of his judgments are: in reason they must needs be near, they have been so long deferred, and yet been so justly deserved of us. Certainly God hath long been in conceiving judgments and plagues for the sins of England, and often hath God's hand been vpō us by war▪ famine, pestilence, inundations: and yet it hath been pulled back again: and his sword hath been put up into his sheath, and God hath stayed his birth even in the very travel, and we have escaped, even as a man, whose neck hath been upon the block, and the Axe holden up to strike: so then, yet the day is not come, yet we have time: happy we that ever we saw this day, if now we have grace to repent, and search our hearts, for then we shall stay this Judgment decreed, that it shall never come forrth against us: but if we defer to repent, & put off from day today, and lie rotting still in our sins: then know and be assured that as the Decree is established, so it must needs come forth: and then, when judgment is come forth, & the stroke stricken, Repentance is too late: therefore what he said to the Jews, I say unto us, Search thyself, O England, (a Nation not worthy to be beloved) before the Decree come forth, which is already past against thee.

Thus much for the fourth point.

5 Now followeth the last point: the reason of all. Why should we search our selves? The reason is included in the fourth point: For there is a Decree come forth against thee. And though the execution be deferred, and though God be unwilling to take it out, yet without Repentance, it is most certain, it shall come forth and be executed at the last. In one word, this is the reason. Repent, or else certainly God will take vengeance: But (will man's heart say) is this true? Or rather these be but words to fear men, and to keep them in awe. I answer, for the proof and experience hereof, never go further, then this place, and present example we have in hand: the Prophet bids them Search, Search, and repent, else, as certainly, as there was a judgment conceived, so certainly it should be executed upon thē: they would not hear, nor Search, nor repent: but what followed; let all mē judge whether God is not true, of his word to them or no: yea, alas, who seeth not that God hath traveled indeed, and hath brought forth a fearful judgment on them, and hath made them for these thousand years and a half, the gazing stock, the by word, and the amazement of all the world.

Thus was it threatened to the Jews, and thus it is performed: and certainly thus hath it been threatened, & thus shall it be performed to thee, O England, except thou prevent the judgments that are coming: O happy England, that I may say to thee, it is yet but coming. For as for the miserable Jews: upon them (alas) it is come already: to those poor souls it can be said no more, Repent before the Decree come forth: for it is now past: but thou art happy, for thy day is not yet come: yet I may say to thee: Repent before the Decree come forth: and O happy England, that thou mayest hear this word: (Before) sounding in thine ears. Therefore my beloved brethren, who are hear assembled out (almost) of every corner of this kingdom, hear my words: and carry them home with you into all countries. God is the same God still, as just, and as jealous, as ever he was: our sins are as ill, nay, much viler then the Jews were: how can it be then, but that must fall to us that fell to them? therefore the zeal of God's glory, and my desire of your salvations, make me, that I dare not flatter: but tell you the truth: that is, that out of all question, if we search not our selves & repent, there is a general judgment in preparing for us: certainly the Decree is out, and what can stop the execution of it, but Repentance: God hath long spared, and he hath been long in traveling, therefore (though nothing can be said in way of prophesy) I am in my conscience persuaded to fear, and that out of infallible grounds of the word of God, that a plague, and a judgment, and that most fearful, hangs over England: & that it is already pronounced upon this Nation, and shall be as certainly executed, without a visible reformation: and because I may seem to speak somewhat at large, give me leave to give you the reasons inducing me hereunto.

1 First, the Gospel hath been preached these five and thirty years, and is daily more and more, so that, the light thereof never shone more gloriously, since the Primitive Church: yet for all this, there is a general ignorance, general of all people, general of all points, yea, as though there were no preaching at all: yea, when Popery was newly banished, there was more knowledge in many, then is now in the body of our Nation: and the more it is preached, the more ignorant are many, the more blind, and the more hardened (even as a Stithi • (the more it is beaten upon, the harder it is) so they, the more they hear the Gospel, the less esteem they it, and the more they contemn it; and the more God calls, the deafer they are: & the more they are commanded, the more they disobey. We Preachers may cry, till our Lunges fly out, or be spent within us, and men are moved no more then stones, O alas, what is this, or what can this be: but a fearful sign of destruction? Will any man endure always to be mocked, then how long hath God been mocked? Will any man endure to stand knocking continually? If then God hath stood knocking at our hearts five & thirty years: is it not now time to be gone, unless we open presently?

But, if we will know what this argueth, to contemn the Gospel, and not to repent, when the word is so abundantly preached: read the Story of Eli his wicked sons. He spake unto them, and gave them godly counsel, but they hearkened not unto the voice of their Father: But will some say, that is no great matter, not to hear their Father is a common thing: but mark what followeth. They would not bear their Father, because the Lord would destroy them: a fearful thing. Even so it is with a nation, or a people: are they taught, and are they worse and worse? take heed: If Eli’s sons obey not, it is, because God will destroy them.

If therefore Eli, and many Eli’s have spoken to England, and England hears not, England obeyeth not, England repents not: take heed the Lord in heavē say not, England will not hear the voice of the Prophets, because I will destroy it. Let no man say, we take upon us to prophesy: we only give warning, and showeth danger, by example of the like.

My second reason is this. One judgment executed: and not working Repentance, is always a fore-runner of another, that Rule is certain, and an evident truth, and needs no proving. Now; we have been visited with Famines, Earthquakes, pestilences, inundations, Thunder & lightning in winter, and most strange & unseasonable weather: but alas, all these have taken no effect: where is the humiliation, repentance and reformation which they have wrought? therefore it must needs be, there remains behind a greater judgment. Men may be so mad to think these to be ordinary things, and to come by course of Nature, and ordinary causes: but certainly, they are the shaking of the Rod, and fore-runners of a greater judgment, unless Repentance cut of their course. For look as one cloud followeth another, till the Sun consume them: so one judgment hastens after another, and repentance only is the Sun, which must dispel them.

3 Thirdly, it stands with the justice of God, according as he hath revealed it in the Scripture, especially in Deut. 28. out of the whole Chapter, it must needs be gathered as a Rule. I will curse that people which break my laws: now we may not deny but this land of ours, is for abundance of sin, a people of Sodom. All kind of sins, in all estates of men, rage and reign every day more and more: therefore I conclude, that unless we repent, and so dissolve this cloud of judgment, that hangs over our heads: it cannot be, but a most fearful tempest is to come at the last, and when it is come, it will be too late to wish we had done it. Therefore in the bowels of Christ Jesus, Let this be to entreat and exhort you all, to search and look into yourselves, that so Repenting and changing your ways, you may get the sword again into his sheath, which is already drawn out, but yet hath not stricken home, & may quench the wrath which is already kindled, but yet burns not out as it will do, if by repentance we quench it not: & do this everyone as you tender the saluatiō of your own souls, & the continuance of the Gospel to this glorions Nation, and the peace and prosperous state of this Church & common wealth. For let men make what causes they will, it is certainly sinfulness that overturns kingdoms, and changeth states, as all these kingdoms and states have felt, who have continued finally to contemn the Gospel.

It followeth:

And you be as Chaff, that passeth on a day.

The Prophet proceedeth, & describeth more plainly, the manner and state of that plague, which God will send upon thē: the meaning was partly opened before, to be in effect thus much; Search yourselves, least God take his fan and try you, because you would not try yourselves, and finding • ou upon the trial, not sound wheat, but light chaff: blow you to hell with the wind of his wrath: the Metaphor which the Prophet useth is this, he compares the Lord to a husband man, great and rich, the whole world is his corn-field: several nations, (as this of ours for one,) are his heaps of Corn: but these heaps of corn be full of chaf, that is, these particular Churches, are full of hypocrites: now a wise husbandman letteth corn and chaff lie together no longer, then til the wind doth blow, and then he appoints his fanning time to sever his corn from his chaff, and to blow away his chaff, & lay up his corn: so God, the great & wise husbandman, will not let the Chaff lie forever amongst the Wheat, he hath therefore appointed his fanning times, when to blow the Chaff into hell, and to gather his wheat into heavenly garners.

Now God's winnowing times are two: the one is at the last day, after this life, and that is God's great winnowing day of all his Corn (that of all • men) when the bad shall be severed from the good forever, never to be mingled again with thē, but by the strong and powerful fan of his last and final judgment to be blown into Hel: the wind of whose wrath, at that day, shall be stronger to blow them all away, then all the wind in the world to blow away one handful of light Chaff.

2 God's other fanning time, is in this world: and that is also double. The one is, when the word is preached: the preaching of the word is one of God's fans. For when the Gospel is preached to a Nation or Congregation, it fannes them, and tries them, & purgeth them, and so seuers them, that a man may see a manifest difference of the chaff and the wheat, that is, of the godly man, and the wicked man: this preaching of the Gospel, doth John the Baptist, expressly call a Fan: where the holy Ghost pursueth this whole Metaphor, most plainly speaking of Christ, he saith; Whose Fan is in his hand, and he will • roughly purge his floor, and gather his w • eat into his garner, but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. The wind of this fan of the word preached is so strong, as that it seuers the Chaff from the Wheat, that is, good professors from hypocrites in the visible Church, and blows so strongly upon the wicked, that it brings them to the beginning of Hell even in this world, for it so worketh upon the conscience, as if it cannot convert them, it strikes them with fear, terror & torment, either in life or at death, which torment of conscience is the very flashes of hell-fire.

But, when this first Fan of the word, will not serve to bring men to repentance, (for the word preached, doth not confound a man actually, but only pronounce the sentence, and thereby strike the conscience) then God hath another fan, and that is the fan of his judgments: and that fanning or winnowing time is, when he executes his vengeance and his judgments on a Nation: this is his latter fan, 〈◊〉 the first will not prevail, this •• his powerful and strong fan driven about with the wind of his wrath, this fan went over the old world, and swept them all away, and went over the nation of the Jews, and we see they are no more.

1 These three fannes of God make a three-fold separation of the Chaff from the Wheat, that is, of the wicked from the elect: with the fan of his word which is powerful, he seuers them in affection, and disposition, and makes a distinction of them, so, as generally the Wheat is known to be Wheat, and Chaff discerned to be Chaff, by the preaching of the word: but though the tare be known to be tare, yet both grow together, so that the word only seuers them in affection, and sets several notes of distinction upon them both.

2 But then the second fan of his Judgments is more violent, for thereby, he seuereth them a sunder in soul, gathering the godly men, as his wheat into the heavens, & blowing the souls of the wicked into hell: but yet the bodies of them both lie together, as partakers of the same judgment, so subject to the same corruption, and are all lodged in the same grave of the earth, and death hath like dominion over them all.

3. But afterwards at the last day, at God's great harvest, & great winnowing time, he then with the wind of his power, seuereth them a sunder in soul and body. Wheat from the Chaff, sheep from the Goats, & separateth them, never to be mingled again forever & ever: and then with the wind of his wrath, he blows the chaff into fire unquenchable, and with his loving favor gathereth his wheat into the everlasting and glorious garners of heaven.

So then the first seuereth them in affection. The second in soul for a time. The third, actually in soul and body forever and ever.

Now of these three winnowing times, the holy Ghost speaketh here properly of the second: namely the fan of God's judgments: so that, the meaning of the Metaphor is this: search yourselves and repent betimes, least God come upon you with some fearful judgments: because you have so long contemned the fan of the word, and finding you too light to abide the try all, do take you away in the judgment, and cast you into hell: for as sure as the fan of the word hath made difference of you, which are chaff, and which are wheat, so sure shall the fan of his judgments blow away the chaff to hell and damnation.

Thus much for the meaning.

Now for the use, for us in England, the case stands thus: Our church doubtless is God's corn field, & we are the corn heap of God: and those Brownisles and Sectaries are blind and besotted, who cannot see that the church of England is a godly heap of God's corn: but withal, we must confess, we are full of chaff: that is, of profane, & wicked Hypocrites, whose hearts and minds abound in sins and rebellions: and many of our best professors are also too full of chaff (that is) of corruptions, and do give themselves too much liberty in many sins: but alas, the pure wheat, how thin is it scattered? howe hard to find a man (at least a family) which dedicate themselves to the Lord in holy and sincere obedience, and labor to make conscience of all sins: now therefore, seeing we are God's corn field, and we have some pure wheat amongst much chaff, therefore God will winnow us, to find out the corn, if he have but one corn of wheat in a handful of chaff, but one good man of many, he will stir all the heap for those few corns, he will not care to blow all the chaff to hell, to find out those few corns of wheat, to lay them up in heaven: so that out of all question, England being so full of chaff, must look to be winnowed.

Now for the first Fan of his word, it hath been used in this land these five and thirty years, and that as powerfully, and as plentifully as anywhere in the world, and yet (alas) many are more Godlesse, more ignorant, more profane then ever they were, yea wickedness groweth, and the Chaff increaseth above the Wheat: be sure therefore, that God will bring his second Fan upon us; because we will not suffer the first and the mild and gentle fan of his word to try and search us: therefore he will bring the fearful fan of his judgments, and with it, he will blow soul & body into hell, with those our sins & corruptions, which we would not suffer the Fan of God's word to blow from us. The first hath so long blown in vain, that the second must needs come upon us, & it hath already begun to blow: three or four blasts have blown over us; famine, pestilence, earthquakes, fire, water, wind, these have so blown some of us, that they have taken away a great number of us. For us that remain, this only remains, that we strengthen our selves by grace, to be able to stand against the next blast, for come it will, & when it comes, no wealth nor worldly thing can enable us to endure it, only faith & repentance, & the grace of God will stand at that day. Now therefore, in that so fearful a fanning abideth us: seeing it is so near (as appeareth by the blasts already past over us, which are nothing but the forerunners of a greater tempest:) what should be our care (except we care not to be blown body & soul into hell) but to labor to efchew this fearful fan of God's wrath: or at least, if it come vpō us, that it may not blow us to hell, but hasten us to heaven. It thy heart be touched to ask, how this may be: I answer thee, only to follow the Prophets advice in this place, by Searching and trying our selves. The way to escape God's trial, is to try thyself: and to escape God's judgment, to be a judge to thine own soul: and so the way to escape the fearful fan of God, is to fan thine own heart by the law of God. For whomsoever the first fan (that is the word of God) doth work upon: these men are never blown away with the fan of God's judgments. O then, entertain the word of God into thy heart, submit thy soul unto it, let it pierce, & try, and ransack thy heart, and lay before thee thy wretched estate by thy sins, and when thou seest thynakednesse and misery, confess it, bewail it, be humbled for it, cry & call for mercy and forgiveness; pray against thy special sins, strive to purge them out as the poison of thy soul, crave grace from God against all thy sins: and if thou seest any sins more welcome to thy nature, more deer unto thee, and which more prevail against thee, then others do: pray against these sins, and strive against them above all: and endeavor, that by the fan of God's word, they may be blown away from thee. When thou hast done this, then mark, what will come of it: when thou hast fanned thyself, God will not fan thee: but when the fan of his judgment comes; and bloweth so strongly upon the wicked, then the Lord finding thee already fanned, and cleansed by his word, will spare thee, and his judgment shall either blow over thee, and pass by thee untouched (as over Lot, in the destruction of Sodom) or else shall fan out all thy corruptions, and blow thee up to heaven, to be laid up as pure wheat in the heavenly garners, and mansions of glory, which Christ ascended to prepare for thee.

Now then amongst those many businesses, with which this world doth comber everyone of us (all which shall perish with the world it self) let us good brethren, spare some time for this great business. Martha may be combred about many things, but this is that one thing, which is necessary: therefore whatsoever is done, let not this be undone. Once a day put thyself and thy life under the fan of God's law, try thyself what thou art and thy life, how thou livest. Once a day keep a Court in thy conscience, call thy thoughts, thy words, and thy deeds to their trial: let the ten Commandments pass upon them, and thy sins and corruptions which thou findest to be chaff, blow them away by reap̄tance, so shalt thou remain pure and clean wheat, fit for the house and Church of God in this world, & for his kingdom in heaven. But, if we will not do this, then alas, what will follow? my heart grieveth to utter it: but I must unless I should be a false prophet: And therefore I will. Our long peace, plenty, and ease, have bred great sins, so great that they reach to heaven, and provoke God's Majesty to his face, and so strong, that they will violently draw down judgments from God upon us: which when they come, they will be so powerful, and so violent, that they will blow us away like chaff, and bring this kingdom to some miserable ruin. O therefore how happy are we, if we can entertain this Doctrine, and practice it: for in so doing, we shall prevent God's judgments, we shall continue the Gospel to this land, and preserve this glorious Nation from being destroyed or dispeopled, by some fearful judgment.

Beloved, you come hither to this place, purposely to buy and sell and thereby, to better your estates in this world: how happy then are you, if besides the good markets, you make for your bodies and estates, you learn also how to make yourselves abide the trial of God's judgments, and how to be made pure corn, fit to replenish the garners of heaven, & how to continue God's favor and the Gospel to this Nation. If thou go away with this lesson, thou hast a Jewel more worth, then if thou shouldest go home possessed or all the huge riches of this Faire: you call this and such like times, Faire times: but if thou learn this lesson right, then thou mayest say, that this was the fairest day in deed, that ever shon upon thee, since thou wast borne. This precious Jewel which I have spoken of all this while, I hear offer unto thee. Everyone brings hither some-thing to be sold, this is the merchandize that I bring and set to sale unto you: what ever commodity any of you bring, it is from some quarter of this land, but all is from the earth: but this that I bring, it is from heaven: and all the earth cannot yield it: and as it is from heaven, so it is of a heavenly virtue, and will work that which all the wealth in this fair is not able to do: therefore cast not, to buy the basest, and let pass the best of all: and never allege that it is above thy compass, and being a Jewel, it is too dear and costly for thee: for I offer it freely unto you, and to everyone of you, I pronounce unto you, from the Lord, that here this blessed doctrine is offered unto you all, in his name, freely, and that you may buy it without money. Happy is that day when thou coming so far to buy things for thy body, and pays so dear for them, doest meet with so precious a Jewel, the virtue whereof, is to save thy soul, and payest nothing for it. Thou mayest hereafter rejoice and say: I went to buy and sell, and to help my body: but I have also learned to save my soul. I went thither to help to maintain my own estate: but I have learned to help to maintain England in prosperity: for assuredly, if we would all of us learn this lesson, and practice it, we might assure our selves of the glorious prosperity of England, to cotinue from generatiō to generation: whereas alas, if we continue & go forward in our sins▪ & impenitency, it is greatly to be feared, that neither the Gospel nor this peace, will reach to our posterities. Therefore now to make an end: I once again: & lastly, commend this doctrine to you all, & every one of you (for this merchandise that I bring, is of that nature, that though some take it, yet there is also enough for everyone) and I commend it unto you, even from the very mouth of God himself? think of it I charge thee, as ever thou lookest to appear before the face of Christ Jesus the great judge, at the last day; and if thou wouldest escape the rigor of that judgment, enter now into judgment with thyself, and search thyself: if thou now wilt not receive this doctrine, then shall it at the last day be a bill of Enditement against thee, for if it save thee not, it shall condemn thee, think of it therefore seriously, as a matter that concerns thy soul and body: yea, and thy posterity, and this whole Realm, all which shall smart for it, if we repent not. And if the body of our people, and those, whose harts are wedded to this world, will not enterteine this doctrine: then I turn unto you that fear the Lord, and to you I direct my last warning, Search, O search, and try your hearts and lives, renew and revive your faith and repentance, that if judgments do come and blow upon this Nation, and drive the Gospel from it, and it to hell: that yet you may have a testimony to your consciences, that you did not pull down this general calamity, but for your parts labored to have prevented it, by your earnest prayers and hearty repentance: that so, the posterity ensuing; may not curse you, but speak reverently of you, and praise God for you, and wish that all had done as you did; for then had they enjoyed this goodly land, and all God's blessings with it, as we their forefathers did before them: & so shall our names not rot, but flourish amongst the posterities to come, which shall be partakers of the desolation: And when we have renewed our repentance, let us then everyone of us, deal with the Lord by earnest prayer for this Church and Nation, that the Lord would show his mercy upon it, and continue unto it, this place & the Gospel: it is nothing with the Lord to do it, his powerful hand is not shortened, he can continue our peace, when the Papists look for hurli-burlies, he can continue the gospel, when they hope to set up their Idolatry again: let us therefore apply the Lord with our prayers, and with Moses set our selves in the breach, and pray for the ignorances of the multitude, and bewail their sins, who bewail not their own, So did Noah, Daniel, and Job, in their ages, and prayed for the people in general calamities: Let us all be Noah's, Daniel's, and Job's, in our generations; if we do thus: then when Judgments come, we shall either turn them away from our Nation, or at the least we shall deliver our own souls.

Let us now turn to the Lord in prayer, and because it cannot be hoped, but that this our general sinfulness must needs end with some heavy Judgment: let us desire the Lord still to defer our deserved punishments, and still to spare us, and to give us time and leisure to repent: that so, we entering into our selves, and searching our hearts, and turning to the Lord: we may turn away his imminent judgments, and that when his wrath doth burn out indeed, we may then be counted worthy in Christ, to escape those things which must needs come upon the world. Amen.

WILLIAM PERKINS.

Lament. 3.

Let us Search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord.

Trin. vni Deo gloria.

A Treatise of the duties and dignity of the Ministry.

IN this Chapter and the former, Elihu a holy, learned, noble, & wise young man, had conference with Job in matters of high and excellent Divinity: the points of his conference are these: From the first verse of this chap. to the 7. verse, is a Praeface to his speech. From thence to the 13. he repeateth certain propositions of Job, and reproveth them: frō thence to these words, he instructeth Job in certain points touching God's dealing with sinners: and those are two.

1 How God preserveth a sinner from falling.

2 How God restoreth a sinner being fallen.

1 The means whereby God preserveth a sinner, are set down to be two principal.

1 By Admonitions in dreams and visions.

2 By scourges and chastisments, when the first will not prevail. And these are laid down from the thirteen verse unto these words.

2 Then followeth the 2. point, namely the restoring of a sinner: when both the means formerly spoken of, have not prevailed with him, but that through his corruption he is fallen: and concerning this point, he handleth these particulars.

1 The remedy and means of his restoring.

2 The effect that followeth thereupon. 1 The remedy is laid down in these words now red unto us, then followeth the effect, which is, that when a sinner is restored by repentance, then the graces of God are plentifully poured upon him both for soul & body: from these words to the end of the Chapter.

The intent then of this Scripture, is, that God useth means in his mercy to preserve sinners from falling into sin, but if they do, then he in much greater mercy afordeth them means and helps to rise again. And this is the sum and substance of the words. Now, that means and remedy is the matter I purpose to speak of, out of these words: The means then to restore a sinner after a fall, is to raise him by repentance to a better estate then he was in before, and that is inclusively, and by implication taught in this Text: But the instrument by whom that great work is to be wrought, is here in plain terms laid down to be a Minister of God, lawfully called and sent by God, & appointed by his Church to that great duty. So that these words contain a worthy description of a true Minister, and he is here described.

1 By his titles, which are two,

• An Angel.
• An Interpreter.

2 By his rarnesse, One of a thousand.

3 By his office: which is, to declare unto man his righteousness.

4 By the blessing that God giveth upon the labors of this true Minister: which is, then God will have mercy upon the sinner.

5 By his Commission and authority in the last words: God will say, Deliver him that he go not down into the pit, for I have received a reconciliation.

Let us speak of them in order as they lie in the text, and first of his titles.

1 The first title of a Minister of God is, he is called a Messenger, or an Angel: and not here alone, but elsewhere in the Scripture, Malachi 2. 7. He is the Messenger of the Lord of hosts. And in the Revelation, the Ministers of the 7. Churches are called the Angels of those Churches. So that it is apparent, a true Minister is an Angel of God in one place, and in the other place, the Angel of the Church. He is an Angel or Messenger sent from God to his Church.

This consideration affords matter of much use. And first for Ministers themselves.

The most of us in this place are either Prophets, or sons of the Prophets.

If thou be a Prophet, thou art God's Angel. If a son of the prophets thou intendest to be, then mark thy duty, prophets and Ministers are Angels in the very institution of their calling. Therefore thou must preach God's word as GOD'S word, and deliver it as thou receivest it: for Angels, Ambassadors, and Messengers, carry not their own message, but the message of their Lord's and Masters who sent them, and Ministers carry the message of the Lord of Hosts, therefore they are bound to deliver it as the Lord's, and not their own.

In the first Epistle of Peter, 4. 11. we are bid, If any man speak, let him speak, not only the word of God, but as the word of God God's word must be spoken, and as God's word: then show thy faithfulness to the Lord, in discharging thy hands sincerely of that message, which he hath honored thee to carry, God's word is pure, thercfore purely to be thought upon, and to be delivered. Then let all that are God's Angels, and would be honored as his Angels and Ambassadors, think it no less reason to do the duty of God's Angels, least (as many men mar a good tale in the telling, so) they take away the power and majesty of God's word, in the manner of delivering it.

The second use concerns the ministers also: are they God's Angels? therefore they must preach God's word in the evidence & demonstration of the spirit of God: for he that is God's Angel, the spirit of that God must speak in him: Now to speak in the demonstration of God's spirit, is to speak in such a plains, and yet such a powerfulnes, as that the capacities of the simplest, may perceive, not man, but God teaching them in that plainesse: and the conscience of the mightiest may feel, not man, but God reprove them in that powerfulness: That this is so, appears by Saint Paul. If a man prophecy aright. (saith the holy Ghost) the unlearned or unbelieving man comes in, he thinks his secret faults are disclosed and laid open, he thinks all men see his nakedness, and do reprove him for it, he therefore falls down and saith surely God speaks in this man.

In which words, observe an admirable plainesse, and an admirable powerfulness (which a man would think could not so well stand together.) First plainness, for whereas the unlearned man perceiveth his faults discouerrd, it followeth necessarily he must needs understand, and if an unlearned man understand it, then consequently it must needs be plain: Secondly powerfulness, in that his conscience is so convinced, his secret faults so disclosed, and his very heart so ripped up: that he saith, certainly God speaks in this man. This is the evidence and demonstration of God's spirit: It is thought good commendation before the world, when men say of a Preacher, surely this man hath shown himself a proper scholar, of good learning, great reading, strong memory, and good delivery, and so it is, and such commendation (if just) is not to be contemned: but that, that commends a man to the Lord his God, and to his own conscience, is when he preacheth so plainly to the capacity, and so powerfully to the conscience of a wicked man, as that he thinks doubtless God is within him. Art thou therefore an Angel of God, then magnify the spirit of God, and not thyself in thy preaching of his word.

The next use is for the hearers, and they are here taught, that if their Ministers be Angels sent them from God, then are they to hear them, gladly, willingly, reverently, and obediently: gladly and willingly, because they are Ambassadors, reverently and obediently, because they are sent from the high God the King of Kings, and do deliver his embaslage. God saith, the people must seek the Law at his mouth: and good reason, for if the law be the revealed will of God, and the Minister the Angel of God, then where should they seek the will of God, but at the mouth of his Angel? The reason therefore followeth well in that place: they should seek the Law at his mouth, for he is the messenger of the lord of hosts: and this must all Christians do, not only if their Doctrine be pleasing unto them, but though it cross their corruptions, and be quite contrary to their dispositions, yea though it be never so unsavory and hard unto nature, yet in as much as it is a message from thy God and King, and the teacher the Angellor messenger of that God: therefore both he and it must be received with all reverence, and with the very obedience of the heart and soul. And this is the cause why a convenient reverence and honor is to be given of all good Christians, even to the persons of God's Ministers (especially when they adorn their high calling with a holy life:) even because they are Angels of God. Saint Paul teacheth, that women ought to be modestly altired in the congregation because of the Angels: it is not only, because the holy Angels are present, and always beholders of our service of God, but even because the Ministers, which are Angels and messengers sent from God, are there, delinering their message and Embassage received from God: And thus we have the first title given to the Minister: he is an Angel.

An Interpreter.

Secondly he is an Interpreter, that is, one that is able to deliver aright the reconciliation, made betwixt God and man: I say not, the author of that reconciliation, for that is the godhead it self: nor the worker of this reconciliation, for that is the second person, Christ Jesus: nor the assurer or ratifier of it, for that is the holy Ghost: nor the instrument of it, for that is the glad tidings of the gospel: but I say he is the interpreter of it, that is, first one that can open and explain the covenant of grace, and rightly lay down the means how this reconciliation is wrought: Secondly, one that can rightly and justly apply those means, for the working of it out. Thirdly, one that hath authority to publish and declare it when it is wrought: and by these three actions he is God's Interpreter to the people.

Then he is also the people's interpreter to God, by being able to speak to God for them, to lay open their wants and nakednesses, to confess their sins, to crave pardon and forgiveness, to give thanks in their names for mercies received, and in a word to offer up all their spiritual sacrifices unto God for them: and so every true Minister is a double interpreter, God's to the people, and the people's to God. In which respects, he is properly called, God's mouth to the people, by preaching to them from God, and the people's mouth to God, by praying for them to God: and this title showeth how great & glorious a calling this ministry is if it be rightly conceived. Now then for the use of it.

First, if every true Minister must be God's Interpreter to the people, and the people's to God, then hence we learn that everyone, who either is or intends to be a Minister, must have that tongue of the learned, whereof is spoken in Isaiah 50. 4. where the prophet saith (first in the name of Christ, as he that is the great Prophet and teacher of his Church; and secondarily in the name of himself, and all true Prophets while the world endureth.) The Lord God hath given me a tongue of the learned, that I should know to speak a word in season to him that is weary: where note the weary souls, or troubled conscience, must have a word in season spoken to him for his comfort, and that cannot be spoken without the tongue of the learned, and lastly that tongue of the learned must be given of God. Now to have this tongue of the learned, which Isaiah speaks of, what is it but to be this Interpreter, which the holy Ghost here saith a Minister must be: But to be able to speak with this tongue is, first to be furnished with human learning. Secondly, with Divine knowledge, as far as it may by outward means be taught from man to man: but besides these, he that will speak this tongue aright, must be inwardly learned, and taught by the spirit of God: the two first he must learn from men, but the third from God: a true Minister must be inwardly taught by the spiritual school-master the holy Ghost. Saint John in the Reuelatiō must take the book, that is the Scripture, and eat it, and when he hath eaten it: then (saith the Angel) he must go preach to Nations, tongues, people, and to Kings: which was done, not that Saint John had not eaten that book, in the coming down of the holy Ghost, the very ende of whose coming was to teach them spiritually: but that in him Christ might teach his Church forever, that no Minister is fit to preach, to nations and to Kings, until they have eaten the book of God: that is, till after and besides all the learning that man can teach them, they be also taught by the spirit of God himself, and this teaching is it that makes a man a true interpreter, and without this he cannot be, for how can a man be God's interpreter to his people, unless he know the mind of God himself, and how can he know the mind of God, but by the teaching of the spirit of God. For as no man knoweth the thought of a man, but the spirit of man that is in him. So the things of God knoweth no mā, but the spirit of god. Indeed we may be man's interpreter by human teaching, and may interpret the Scriptures truly and soundly as a human book or story, for the increase of knowledge, but the divine & spiritual interpreter, which shall pierce the heart, and astonish the soul of man, must be taught by the inward teaching of the holy Ghost.

Let no man think I here give the least allowance to Anabaptistical fancies, and revelations, which are nothing, but either dreams of their own, or illusions of the Devil, for they contemn both human learning, and the study of the scripture, and trust wholly to revelations of the spirit; but God's Spirit worketh not but upon the foundation of the word: only I teach this, that a Minister must be a divine Interpreter, an Interpreter of God's meaning. And therefore he must not only read the books, but eat it, that is, not only have the knowledge of Divine things flowing in his brain, but engraven in his heart, and printed in his soul by the spiritual finger of God: and therefore for this end, after all his own study, meditation, conference, Commentaries, and after all human helps, he must pray with David, Open thou mine eyes, that I may see the wonders of thy law. The discerning of those wonders requires a spiritual illumination, and the opening of them requires the tongue of the learned. Therefore after all the study which flesh and blood, and human reason can yield, pray with the Prophet, Lord give me the tongue of the learned, that I may be a right interpreter of thy holy will.

Furthermore, inasmuch as ministers are Interpreters, they must labor for sanctity, and holiness of life. In Isaiah, the king of Assyria is said to be sanctified or set a part to destroy God's enemies. If there be a certain kind of sanctification, necessary for the work of destruction, then how much more is true sanctification necessary for this great and glorious work of the edification of God's Church? A Minister is to declare the reconciliation betwixt God and man, and is he himself not reconciled? Dare he present another man to God's mercy for pardon, and never yet presented himself? Can he commend the state of Grace to another, and never felt the sweetness thereof in his own soul? Dare he come to preach sanctification with polluted lips, and out of an unsanctified heart? Moses might not stand upon the Mount in God's presence, till he had put off his shoes from off his feet. Exod. 3. and dare any man presume to come into this most high and holy presence of the Lord, until he have mortified his corruptions, and cast off the vnrulines of his affections?

In Exodus, the priests are bid to sanctify the people, and in Leviticus it is said, that God will be sanctified in all that come near him, but who come so near unto God as the Ministers do? So that it is apparent, Ministers do sanctify the people, and in some construction, God himself: Now, shall they one way be sanctifiers of the people, another way of God himself, and no way of themselves? Surely if it be so, they are but lame Interpreters. And this is the reason doubtless, why unsanctified Ministers, and such as are of a loose conversation, bestow such fruitless labors in the Church: many want no learning, no ability to interpret, & yet how few souls do they bring to God? Some it may be are converted by their Ministry, that God may show, the efficacy is not in the person of man, but in the ordinance of God, but few doubtless (for ought that we can see:) to teach us, how God hateth him which will take in hand to reconcile others to God, himself being vnreconciled. Seeing-then Ministers are God's Interpreters to the people, to declare & publish their reconciliation with God, and that they cannot be reconciled, unless they be sanctified, and can so hardly be sanctified by the ministry of an unsanctified man: let therefore all true Ministers of God: first be God's Interpreters to their own consciences, and their own souls Interpreters to God, then shall they know more perfectly how to discharge the office of true Interpreters betwixt God and his people.

And thus we have the true titles of a true Minister.

Now it followeth in the Text.

One of a thousand.

Here is the second part of this description, which is by the rareness, or scarcenesse of good Ministers: which is laid down in a very strange phrase, namely, that a true Minister one that is a right Angel, and a true Interpreter, is no common or ordinary man, but thin sown, one of many, Nay, one of a thousand.

The meaning hereof is to be conceived either properly, or figuratively: in the figurative sense, it is spoken in relation to ministers themselves: in the proper sense, it hath a comparison with all men: the figurative and hyperbolical sense is, that of all the Ministers in the world, not one of many is a right Angel, and a true Interpreter: the plain & proper sense is, that amongst the men of this world, there is not one of a thousand which proves a true Minister. For this point let us examine three points: the truth of it, the reasons of it, and the use of it.

The truth hereof is manifest, by the experience of all ages, wherein it is strange to observe, how few men of any sort, especially of the better sort, affect the calling of a Minister: and which is more strange, howe few of those that are Ministers in name and title, do deserve these honorable names of an Angel, and an Interpreter, and the truth is too manifest in common practice, to insist much upon it: rather therefore let us see the reasons of it, and they be these principally.

First, the Contempt that lieth on that calling, it being always hated, by wicked and profane men, because it discovers their filthiness, and vnmaskes their hypocrisy: and their doctrine ofttimes is a fretting corrasiue to their conscience, that they cannot welter, and wallow so quietly, and secretly in their sins, as otherwise they would, therefore is it that they spurn both against the calling, and the men, and watch them narrowly, and take hold of their least infirmities, thereby to disgrace them: judging that to cast contempt on that calling, is to remove shame from their own shameful courses: nor is it possible, but that they should thus hate this calling, inasmuch as they hate so deadly both that law and Embassage which they bring, and that GOD, whose Ambassadors they are.

This hatred and disgrace in the wicked world, was that that caused Jeremiah to cry, woe is me, & made him in the seeming of his natural reason, curse ye time yt ever he was a prophet, for saith he, I am a man of contention, every man is at strife and at enmity with me.

The next reason is The difficulty of discharging the duties of his calling: to stand in God's presence, to enter into the holy of holiest, to go betwixt God & his people, to be God's mouth to the people, and the people's to God: to be the Interpreter of the eternal law of the old Testament, and the everlasting Gospel of the New: to stand in the room, and to bear the office of Christ himself, to take the care and charge of souls, these considerations are so many amazements to the consciences of such men, who do with reverence approach, & not with rashness, rush unto this sacred seat: this made Saint Paul cry out, who is sufficient for these things. And if Paul said, Who is? no marnell though many a man say, I am not sufficient, and do therefore draw their necks from this yoke, and their hands from this plough, until God himself or his Church do press them to it.

The last reason is more peculiar to this age of the new Testament, namely, want of maintenance and preferment, for them that labor in this calling: men are flesh and blood, and in that respect must be allured, and won to embrace this vocation, by some arguments, which may persuade flesh and blood: the world hath in all ages been negligent herein, and therefore God in his law took such strict orders, for the maintenance of the Levites: but especially, now under the Gospel, this calling is unprovided for, when it deserves best of all to be rewarded: certainly it were a worthy Christian policy, to propound good preferments to this calling, that thereby men of the worthiest gifts might be won unto it, and the want thereof, is cause why so many young men of special partes, and greatest hope, turn to other vocations, and especially to the Law, wherein at this day the greatest partes of the finest wits of our kingdom, are employed, & why? But because they have all the means to rise, whereas the Ministry, for the most part yieldeth nothing, but a plain way to beggary: this is a great blemish in our Church, and surely I wish the Papists, those children of this world, were not wiser in their kind, (in this point) then the Church of God: the reformation hereof is a work worth the labor of prince and people▪ & special care is to be had in it, else it will not be reformed, for doubtless had not God himself in the old testament, taken such straight orders for the livings of the Levites, they had been put to no less extremities, then is the Ministry of this age. And this reason added to the other, makes them perfect; and all put together make a reason infallible: for who will undergo so vile contempt, and undertake so great a charge for no reward: and where there is so great contempt, so heavy a burden, and so mean a reward, what marvel, if a good Minister be one of a thousand?

Now let us make use of this doctrine: The use is manifold, and yields instructions to many sorts of people: First, Rulers and Magistrates are here taught, if good Ministers be so scarce, therefore to maintain and increase, and do all good they can to the schools of the Prophets, to Universities, Colleges, & Schools of good learning, which are the Seminaries of the Ministry: herein the example of Samuel, is very worthy to be followed, in whose days the schools of the Prophets flourished, and even Saul himself, though he did much hurt in Israel, yet when he came to the schools of the Prophets, his hard heart relented, he could do them no hurt, nay, he put off his robes & prophesied amongst them. So should all Christian princes and magistrates advance their schools, and see them both well maintained, and well stored, the reason is evident & forcible.

A good Minister is one of 1000. If therefore they would have the number increased, let them maintain the Seminaries. And again, if Antichrist to uphold his kingdom, the Kingdom of Satan, be so careful herein, to erect Colleges, and indowe them with living, to be Seminaries for his Synagogue, and use so great means to sow his tares in the hearts of young men, that so they may sow them in the hearts of the people abroad: shall not Christian princes be as careful, or rather much more zealous, for the increasing of the number of godly Ministers? shall Baal have his 4. hundred prophets, and God have his Elias alone? great shame must it be to Ahab, or to any king, whose kingdom is in that estate.

The Jesuits diligence is such in teaching, and the readiness of some of their novices such in learning, (the devil himself doubtless, putting to his help withal) that in three years (as some of them say of themselves) they proceed in human learning, and in the fourth, in Divinity: which if it be so, then it may be a good Lesson, for these our schools of learning, and an inducement to move all that have the government thereof, to labor to advance learning, by all good means, and to give it more speedy passage: And it may shame some that spend so many years in the University, and yet alas for all that prove not one of a 1000. In these our schools are by God's mercy, many young trees planted by the river side of this goodly Orchard, which by good ordring and dressing, may prove goodly trees in the temple of God, and strong pilstrong pillars in the Church: but they are like tender plants, and must be cherished. Princes and great men, by allowing maintenance, and the Governors by establishing good orders, and looking carefully to their execution, must see that these plants have sufficient moisture to grow speedily to perfect ripeness, and that then they be transplanted in due time, into the Church and common wealth: these be the trees spokē of in Ezekiel, which grow by the sides of the river, which floweth out of the sanctuary: Waters out of the Sanctuary must norish them, and so they grow unto their perfection: but take away these waters: take away the liberality of princes and good discipline from the Universities, and these trees must needs decay and wither: which if they do, then the small number of good Ministers will be fewer & fewer, & of one of a 1000. there will not be one of 2000

In the next place, Ministers themselves are here taught: First if good Ministers be so scarce, then let every man fear to make them fewer then they be: every man therefore for himself, labor first for ability, then for conscience to discharge his duty: namely, to be an Angel, to deliver faithfully God's Embassage, and a true Interpreter betwixt God and his people: thus if thou doest, then howsoever the number of good Ministers is small, yet it shall be nothing smaller for thee.

2 If they be so few, labor to increase them, for the more they are, the less burden lieth upon each particular man, therefore let every Minister by his teaching, and by his conversation labor, so to honor his calling, that he may thereby allure and draw others to a love and liking thereof.

3 Are good Ministers so thin sown? are there so few of them? then let all good and godly Ministers give the right hand of fellowship one to another, and join together in love, & by that means arm thenselves against the scorn and contempt of the world: we see they that are of a kindred, or a brotherhood, or any kind of society, the fewer they are, the more closelie do they combine, the more firmly do they hold together against all foreign force: so ought God's Ministers to do, because their number is so small: if they were many, less danger in their disvnion. But seeing they are so few, the more it concerneth them to cut off contentions, and all occasions of debate, and to join hand in hand against these common adversaries.

In the third place, young Students are here taught, seeing a true Minister is but one of a thousand, that therefore they bend their studies, and their thoughts to the Ministry, for they well know it is an old proverb, the best things are hard to come by: & certainly there are so few good Ministers, because the holy Ministry in it self is so high & excellent a calling: & as it is a shame to the men that there are so few good Ministers, so it is a commendation to the calling: whose honor & excellency is such, that as we see here scarce one of a thousand attains unto it, therefore men of the most excellent gifts, are here invited to dedicate themselves unto the most excellent vocation, yea, very reason it self would urge a man to be one of a thousand.

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2 And further, as they are to intend this calling as the most rare and excellent: so this must teach them like wise, to hasten to furnish themselves with all good helps and means, that they may become true Ministers and able Interpreters, and not too long to stick in those studies, which keep a man from the practice of this high function: for it is not to live in the University, or in the College, and to study, though a man never so fast devour up learning, but to be a good Minister, is that that makes a man one of a thousand.

In the last place, Hearers are here taught their duty, first, to respect with reverence the person, and to receive with reverence the Message of every true Messenger, seeing it is so rare a thing to find a true Minister for as nothing is more vile or base then an evil & lewd Minister, (whom Christ compares to salt which hath lost his savor, which is good for nothing, but to be cast out & trodden down of men:) so is there none worthy of more love and reverence, then a holy Minister: for as Isaiah saith, their very feet are beautiful which bring glad tidings; and we should kiss their feet which bring news of peace: therefore all good Christians are to receive and use a good Minister, as S. Paul saith the Galatians did him, even as an Angel of God Hast thou then a godly pastor, run to him for conference, for comfort, for counsel, use his company, frequent his fermons, account him worthy of double honor, think it no small or ordinary blessing, for thou hast one of a thousand, and bless God for bestowing his mercy on thee, which he had denied to so many others: for some have no Minister: some have a Minister, but yet 〈◊〉 , he is not one of a thousand.

And further: all men that are Fathers, may here learn to consecrate their children to God in the service of the Ministry, considering that it is so rare and excellent a thing to be a good Minister: nay that man should think himself happy, and honored of God, who may be father to such a son, as shall prove one of a thousand.

In a word to conclude this point, all men must here learn, seeing good Ministers are so scarce, to pray the Lord of the harvest, to thrust out more laborers into his harvest: and for those that are called already, that God would make them faithful in that high function. And as Elisha craveth of Elias, that the good spirit may be doubled, and trebled upon them, so that the number may be increased. And thus we have the truth, the reason, and the use of this, that a good Minister is one of a thousand.

It followeth. To declare unto man his righteousness.

Here is the third part of the description of a Minister, that is, by his office, to declare unto man his righteousness: that is, when a poor sinner, by his sins (the foulnes whereof he seeth, and the burden whereof he feeleth) is brought down, as it were to the very gates of hell, when this sinner by the preaching of the Law, is brought to a true sight of this misery: and again by preaching the gospel, is brought to lay hold on Jesus Christ, then it is the proper office of a Minister to declare unto that man his righteousness. Namely, that though in himself he be as ill, and as foul as sin can make him, & as the law can discover him to be: yet in Christ he is righteous, & just, and by Christ so justified, as he is no more a sinner in the presence and account of God, this is the righteousness of a Christian man, this is the justification of a sinner. And to declare this righteousness to him that repents and believes, is the proper duty of a true Minister.

In the Acts, Paul saith of himself, that he witnessed to the Jews, & to the Gentiles, the repentance towards God, and faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ. In which words is laid down the complete duty of a Minister (as he is a public Angel or Interpreter,) first, to preach repentance, which a man must perform to GOD, whom by his sins he hath grievously offended; secondly, to preach faith in Christ, and free forgiveness, and perfect salvation through that faith in Christ, to all that shall truly believe in him. And after both these, followeth that which is here spoken of, which comprehendeth both the former, namely, to declare unto man his righteeusnesse. So that in these words, are inclusi • ely laid down, these points of a Ministers calling: first, a true Minister may & must declare unto a sinful man where righteousness is to be found, namely, in Jesus Christ: the righteous. Secondly, how that righteousness may be obtained, namely, by d •• ing two duties: First, by denying & disclaiming his own righteousness, and that is done by repentance; secondry, by claiming & cleaning to Christ righteousness, and that is done by faith. Thirdly, a true Minister may and must declare this righteousness to him, that is first publish and proclaim, that it is ready to his bestowed on every sinner, which will thus apprehend it, and that it is able to justify and save him:) secondly, beside a bare publication of this instification, he must (as Paul did) witness and testify it to the conscience of the sinner, that it is as certainly true 〈◊〉 God is true. For as a witness in: doubtful cases is called, that by his testimone 〈◊〉 may clear the truth, so when the consciences of poor sinners are 〈◊〉 and doubtful what to believe, when they doubt of this righteousness, then is a true minister as a faithful witness of God to aver and testify this truth, from his own conscience, knowledge and feeling of the infallible certainty of God's promises, unto the doubtful and distress • ed conscience of the sinner.

Thirdly, besides declaration and testificati • n been to maintain this truth, and this righteousness (if the sinners conscience be yet not quiet) against all gain sayers, against the power of darkness, and all the gates of helld that this is true and perfect righteousness • to him that apprehends it as afore is 〈◊〉 down 〈◊〉 this is so infallible to every soul that repents and believeth, that the minister, may assure it to the conscience of the sinner in the word of truth, and in the name of God, and may call to 〈◊〉 all God's Saints, and all his holy Angels, and may 〈◊〉 unto him his own 〈◊〉 upon it, that it is most true, that this is 〈◊〉 perfect, and 〈◊〉 sufficient righteousness.

That we see in some measure, what it is to declare unto a man his righteousness. And this is the peculiar office of a Minister of God, and this is the height and excellency of his office. In the want of godly ministers, I confess that godly Christian men may one help another in the performance of these duties, and that with profit, but it is the proper function of a godly Minister to do it, and the promise and blessing belong properly to him: as the consciences of all penitent sinners, will testify in this case: let David's serve for many, who when he was cast down even to the mouth of hell, by that fearful discovery of his two hideous sins by Nathan's preaching; & when the faith of his soul began to wrestle against Hell, and strive against despair, and to apprehend the mercy of God in Christ: then I say, could not the testimony of all the men in the world have given him that joy, comfort and assurance, that Nathan did, when he said in the word of a Prophet, and of a true Minister, God hath taken away thy sin, thou shalt not die: what did Nathan here, but declare unto man his righteousness? what did Nathan here, but the duty of every true minister?

If this be the office and duty of a minister; and if such be the height and excellency: of his office, let us see then what use we may make of it.

First, concerning the Ministry: It first discovereth how nakedly, weakly, and insufficiently, the Popish Church doth declare unto man his righteousness, who will let a man seek it in himself▪ where alas it is not: for Paul himself testifieth, that his desire is, that he may be found out of himself, and in Christ; and yet certainly, if ever man had righteousness of his own worth trusting to, Paul had: this is the cause why so many of that religion find not that righteousness, which will pacific and satisfy their consciences; when they come to die: and why so many of them, whē it comes to the pinch, do then go out of themselves, and with us do seek for this righteousness in Christ, where both assuredly, and sufficiently it is to be found.

Then for our own Ministry, here they are taught: first the true manner of teaching, and declaring righteousness, namely this, not to preach the law alone, or the Gospel alone, as some unadvisedly do (but both without profit) but both the law and the Gospel; the law to breed repentance the gospel to work f •• th • but in order; first the law to breed repentance, and then the gospel to work faith and forgiveness, but never before.

Secondly, they are taught to be holy: to be sanctified and reconciled themselves for is it thy office to declare unto man his righteousness, and not thy own to thyself? and how, canst thou be a true witness to testify betwixt God, and the soul of a sinner, when thy own soul knoweth not, nor feeleth the truth of it? certainly such men are but lame witnesses betwixt God, and the sinners soul. David saith to the sinner, I will instruct three in the way wherein thou shalt go: but he first of all in the same, sets down his own experience in a large story of his own repentance, and of God's mercy on himself. And though God some time do satisfy, and save the poor distressed soul of a sinner, by the testimony of such men, to teach us, that the virtue is not in the men, but in the truth of God's covenant: yet alas how few are they, to teach us, how pleasing it is unto him, when a Minister is a declarer of that righteousness to others, which he first hath himself: and is a witness of that truth to others, which he first knoweth in his own experience.

Thirdly, the consideration of this high excellency of their calling, must arm all true Ministers against the scorn and contempt of the world, which by wicked men is cast like dust and mire into the face of Ministers: let this suffice them, they are the men that must declare unto man his righteousness, even he that scorns and contemns the ministry, he hath no righteousness in him, unless it be by the means of a poor Minister: then do thou thy duty, and be that mocks thee, hath cause to honor thee. And let this encourage Students to consecrate themselves to the ministry, for what calling hath so high an office, as this, to declare unto man his righteousness? And assuredly how ever in this wicked world, thou art little accounted of (for if it did not so, it were not wicked:) yet thou art honored in the harts of all God's children▪ and even in the conscience of some, whose tongues do smite thee: and the souls of thousands, when they die shall bless thee, who in their lives cared not for thee: and the devil himself doth envy, & the holy Angels themselves do wonder at the excellency of thy calling, in that thou hast power to declare unto men his righteousness.

In the next place, hearers may here learn; first if their righteousness be thus to be declared as afore, then if they will have it, they must seek it as it may be found, namely, both in the law, and in the Gospel and not in the Gospel alone: and first in the law, then in the Gospel: for he must never look to taste the sweetness of the Gospel, which hath not first swallowed the bitter pilles of the law: if therefore thou wouldest be declared righteous by the Gospel, be content first to be pronounced miserable by the law: if thou wouldst be declared righteous in Christ, then be content first to be pronounced sinful and unrighteous in thyself. Secondly, all men may here learn, how they are to esteem of God's Ministers, and what reverence and obedience is due to their persons, and their doctrine: these are they which must declare unto thee thy righteousness, if thou hast any: Art thou beholden to him, who, when thou hast lost a Jewel (which was all thy wealth) can tell thee where it is, and help thee to it again? or to him, who, when thy cause is in trial at the bar, will plead it for thee? or to him, who, when thy health is lost, can tell thee how to get it again? then behold how thou art beholden to a godly Minister, who when Adam had lost both himself and thee, that Jewel of righteousness, which was, and is the whole wealth of thy soul, can truly tell thee where it is, and howe it is to be had again: and who, when the devil haleth thee to the bar of God's justice, to receive trial for thy sins, can draw thee there such a declaration, as the devil himself shall not be able to answer? and who, when thy soul is sick to death, and even to damnation, can heal the deadly wounds thereof. A good minister therefore is worthy (as the Apostle saith) of double honor, whose duty we see is to declare unto man his righteousness. And to conclude this point also, the consideration of the height of this office of a minister, may encourage fathers to dedicate their sons to this holy calling: for the Physicians care for the body, or the Lawyers for thy cause, are both inferior duties to this of the Mininister. A good Lawyer may be one of ten: a good Physician one of 20. a good man one of 100. but a good minister is one of 1000. A good Lawyer may declare the true state of thy cause; a good Physician may declare the true state of thy body: No calling, no man can declare unto thee thy righteousness, but a true Minister. And thus we see the office or function of a minister. Now followeth the blessing.

Then will he have mercy upon him.

The fourth general part of this description, is the blessing which God giveth to the labors and function of a true Minister: then that is, when a man by the preaching of the law, is brought to true humiliation and repentance, and by the preaching of the Gospel, to true faith in the Messias: then will he (that is, God) have mercy on him (that is, on the penitent and believing sinner.) Behold here the admirable sympathy, and the cooperation of God, and the Ministers office. Man preacheth, and God blesseth: Man worketh on the heart, and God gives grace: a minister declares unto man his righteousness, and God saith so be it he shall be righteous: a minister pronounceth mercy to a penitent sinner, and forthwith God hath mercy on him. Here we see the great and glorious account which God makes of the word of his ministers, by them truly taught and rightly applied, namely, that he as it were tieth his blessing unto it: for ordinarily till a man know his righteousness, by the means of an Interpreter, God hath not mercy on him, but as soon as he doth know it, then as we see here God will have mercy on him and will say deliver him, &c.

This is no small honor to ministers, and to their Ministry, that God himself gives a blessing unto it, & worketh when they work, and as it were stayeth waiting, when they declare unto a man his righteousness, and then hath he mercy on him: so powerful and so effectual is the word spoken by a minister of God. This is that which Christ avoucheth, Whatsoever you loose in earth, shall be loosed in heaven. Will you know the meaning hereof? Read Saint John, whose sins soever you remit, they are remitted; whose you retain, they are retained: will you have the meaning of both? read Isaiah, God destroyeth the tokens of Soothsayers, and makes Wisards and Astrologers fools, turneth worldly wisemen backward and makes their knowledge foolishness: but he confirmeth the word of his servants, and performeth the counsel of his messengers, Thus God bindeth and looseth with them, remitteth and retaineth with them, by confirming their word and performing their counsel: For example.

A true minister seeth a sinner hardened in his sins, & still rebelling against the will of God, he therefore declareth unto him his unrighteousness, & his sin, & denounceth unto him, the misery & curses of God's justice, as due unto him for the same: here he binds on earth, here he retains on earth, this man's sins are likewise bound & retained in heaven. On the other side, he seeth a man penitent, & believing, he pronounceth forgiveness of sins, & happiness unto him for the same: he looseth him from the band of his sins, by declaring unto him his righteousness, this man's sins are likewise loosed & remitted in heaven, & God himself doth pronounce him clear in heaven, when the Minister doth on earth. Thus God confirmeth the word of his servants, and performeth the counsel of his messengers,

The use of this doctrine is, first for rulers and great men of this world, this may teach them to be nursing Fathers and nursing Mothers unto the Church, whose authority they see is so great over them, as that their decree stands ratified in heaven: Therefore though their place be great, and they be God's upon earth, yet must they withal acknowledge, that in justifying a sinner, in interpretation, in declaring unto man his righteousness; in binding and loosing, their power also is immediate from God, & above theirs, and they themselves, as they are men, must submit themselves to this powerful word of the ministers, to be taught by it, and to be reconciled by means of it, & highly must they respect it; for though a man speak it, yet is it the word of God: this is to lick the dust of Christ's feet, which the Prophet speaketh of: not as the Pope would have it, to hold the stirrup, & lead the horse, & hold the water to the Pope, to kiss his toes, to hold their kingdoms of him, as tenants at will, or by courtesy, but reverently to acknowledge the ordinance to be God's, the function & duty to be high & excellent, to acknowledge the power of their keys and censures (being rightly applied, their promises & their threatenings to be as frō God, & to submit to them accordingly.

Secondly, Ministers thenselves here must learn, when they take the word of reconciliation into their hands and mouths, to call to mind whose it is, even the Lord's, and that he worketh with them, & hath the greatest hand in the work, and that therefore they must use it in holymaner, with much fear and reverence: It is not their own, they may not use it as they list. And lastly, Hearers are here taught, first to see how mad such men be which carelessly, and seldom hear sermons, but upon any occasion fly to wizards and charmers, which are the devils Prophets: for see the difference of these two, the wisard and charmer hath society with the devil, the Preacher with God: the charmer hath his calling from the devil, the Preacher is from God: the Charmers charm is the devils watchword, (when he charmeth, the devil doth the seat): the preachers doctrine is God's watchword, when he truly applieth it, GOD himself ratifieth and makes it good: therefore let all men fear to have thus to do with the devil, by seeking to his slaves, & let them draw near to God, by entering into fellowship with his holy prophets, and godly Ministers.

And further, if when they preach, and thou belieuest, then GOD hath mercy on thee, then learn what reverence they and their word is 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 worthy of, which is thus accompanied with God's mercy and forgiveness: and then learn to hear the Word with fear and trembling, for it is God's word, and not theirs: and when a true Minister saith unto thee, on a true ground, I denounce thee a sinful man, and under the curse, or I declare thee to be righteous, and a child of grace, it is all one, as though God from heaven had said so unto thee. If any man ask; But is it not as good if another man pronounce forgiveness unto me upon my repentance? I answer, yes undoubtedly, if it be in extraordinary times or places, when there are no Ministers: for otherwise, certainly this blessing is principally tied unto the Ministers calling: for it is not said of any private men's calling any where in the scripture, as it is here said of the ministers.

If an Angel, an Interpreter come to a man and declare unto him his righteousnesss, then (mark the conexion) then will GOD have mercy on him, and will say, Deliver him, &c. Whence comes this blessing? from this promise of God. If therefore other callings will challenge ordinarily the same blessing, then must they have the same prosmise. Besides, other Christians being private men, though they be sanctified, & have a good measure of knowledge, yet have they not the same spirit of discerning that godly Ministers have: nor can so fully & truly judge, when a man hath repented, when not; and therefore cannot so truly pronounce the sentence of the law or Gospel, nor have they ability ordinarily by their good conference, and Christian counsel, to convert a soul, but to confirm one converted: but that power ordinarily belongs to the public ministry of the word, therefore it followeth, that ordinarily they have not the power to pronounce the sentence of binding or loosing upon any man: I confess, in times or places, where no minister can be had, God blesseth the labors of private men, that have knowledge, sometimes even for the converting of a man to God, & for comforting him at the hour of death, and gives a virtue and power to that sentence which they shall pronounce one upon another's repentance: but as this is extraordinary, and in the want of ordinary Ministers, so in that case a private man of knowledge and Godliness, is made a Minister for that time to himself, or to another, even as a private man in cases of extreme danger, whē no magistrate is present, is made a magistrate himself to defend his own life. So then as in want of a Magistrate, the sword of the magistracy is put into the hand of a private man: so in the want of Ministers, the keys of the Ministry are committed, and put into the hands of private men, (as in y ^e days of persecution) that then they may with comfort admonish & advise: and with power pronounce mercy and forgiveness one unto another, upon their true repentance. Yet always remember that in so doing, a private man is as a minister for that time, & in that case: but ordinarily (and always in settled Churches) this power pertaineth to the Ministry, & is theirs alone by ordination; and to them belongeth the promise and the blessing, that when he hath declared to a man his righteousness, then God will have mercy on him. And thus we see also the blessing of God upon the function of the Ministry, & annexed thereunto by the merciful dispensation of God. It followeth.

And will say, Deliver him that he go not down into the pit: for I have received a reconciliation.

The fifth and last part of this description is, the Commission & authority given unto him, which is so great, as never was given to any creature, and is this, when a Minister of God hath declared unto man his righteousness, hath brought him to the state of grace, and God in his favor hath had mercy on him; then God saith to the Minister, Deliver that soul from hell, for I have pardoned him in Christ, I am reconciled to him.

In which words, authority is given to a Minister of God to redeem a man penitent, from hell & damnation: not that he is the means of working out this redemption, for that wholly and only is Christ himself: but he is God's instrument and Christ's instrument: First, to apply those means unto him: Secondly, to pronounce his safety and deliverance when these means are used. Here is the principal honor of all, belonging to that calling: and it is the greatest that ever was vouchsafed to any creature, Man or Angel: for it is a plain Commission, to go and deliver such a man from the power of hell, & to redeem him into the state of God's children, and to make him heir of heaven: Angels never had this Commission, they are Messengers set out for the good of those whom Ministers have redeemed, and they have brought many comfortable messages unto them: but it was never said to any Angel, Deliver that man that he go not down into the pit: as it here is said unto a Minister, nor any man but Ministers have this Commission. To some callings GOD saith, work thou for man, build him houses, provide him sustenance; to the Physician, heal that man: to the Lawyer, do that man justice: to the soldier, fight for him: to the Magistrate, defend him: to the King, govern him, & see that everyone do his duty: to none but to the Minister doth he say, Deliver him that he go not down into the pit.

If this be so then for the use, first Ministers must learn here, that if they will have the honor of Redeemers, then must they do the duty of Redeemers, they must pray earnestly for the people, for that is one means whereby they redeem men.

They must say with Samuel, God forbid that I should cease to pray for you: They must mourn for the impenitent, when they will not turn to God. So did David, his eyes gushed out with rivers of waters, because men kept not God's law. And Jeremiah, who wished a fountain of water in his eyes, that he might weep for the sins of the people. They must priuarly confer visit, admonish, and rebuke, and principally they must preach, and that in such good manner, and in so diligent measure, as that they may redeem and win souls, and the end that they must aim at, must be to win souls. Some preach for fear of the law, to avoid censure or punishment: some for fashion sake, that they may be like to others: some for ostentation sake, to win credit and praise: some for ambition, to rise in the world: all these forget their Commission, which is, Deliver a man from hell.

This should be the end of their preaching, to deliver a soul from hell: & what should Commissioners do, but execute their Commission? High Commissioners are worthy to be low Commissioners, or rather, no Commissioners, if they will not put it in execution. It is therefore lamentable to see, that some by not preaching; some by vain preaching, show that they intend anything rather then the winning of souls to God.

Let then all good Ministers so preach, as they may say with Isaiah, Behold Lord here am I, and the children whom thou hast given me. And that they may return their Commission thus: Whereas thou O Lord gavest me this people, and badest me deliver them, that they go not down into hell, Lord I have done it: it is the thing my soul aimed at with all my desire and endeavor: and by thy mercy I have effected it accordingly.

And the rather must all Christian Ministers seriously intend the saving of souls, inasmuch as Antichrist doth so earnestly seek the destruction of souls, by winning them to his Synagogue. The Turk spares no labor, no cost, to infect young children of Christians with his impure and blasphemous superstition. The Pope and his vassals (especially Jesuits,) use all means, devise many stratagems, spare no cost, nor labor, to seduce & inueagle young men, and the best wits. Surely their care and policy herein is admirable: and yet alas, when (like the Pharisees) they have compassed Sea and land to make a Proselyte, they make him like themselves, the child of hell.

And they are so far from having any Commission from God to do this, or any blessing promised, as contrariwise GOD forbids them, and his curse lieth upon them for so doing.

Shall they be so diligent to destroy souls without a commission, and incur God's curse for their labor? and shall not Christian Ministers be much more diligent to win and redeem souls, having so large a commission for the purpose, and so great a blessing promised thereunto?

In the next place, this doctrine hath use to the hearers. First, to let them see the excellency of this calling, which hath a Commssion and power to redeem them from hell and damnation, & what honor is due unto it: and to let the wicked man see (which any way abuseth either the persons or the function) how base & unthankfull men they are, to recompense evil for good, and therefore no marvel though evil do never depart from the houses and families of such men: and further, to encourage all men to give thenselves to God in this calling, for see here what they are, even the high Commissioners of God. We have in our estate, a power deligated to certain men of worth, and it is called the high Commission, because they have power to do great things, and that man thinks himself happy who can bring his son to this, to be thought fit to be one of this Commission: but behold here a higher Commission, a Commission from God, to redeem souls from the power of hell, and the devils claws: this is in deed a high Commission, and so high as this, was never granted out of the Court of heaven to any creature but to Ministers: they therefore are the High Commissioners of the high God. Is it not then an honor and happiness unto thee to bring thy son to this estate?

And lastly, this must teach all hearers, their duty to God's word: namely, to submit themselves unto it: for if the Minister have a Commission to redeem thy soul, it must be by the word & holy discipline. Therefore thy duty is to hear God's word patiently, to submit thyself unto it, to be taught and instructed, nay, to be checked and rebuked, and to have thy sins discovered, & thy corruptions ripped up. If thou wouldst have thy cause succeed well, thy Lawyer must discover the weaknesses of it: If thy body to be cured, thy Physician must purge the corruption of it. So if thy soul be to be redeemed, thy Minister must see the weakness, & purge the corruptions of it, and though his doctrine be harsh, & hard unto thy nature, and y ^e discipline of y ^e Gospel seem rough unto thee, yet must not thou rage and rebel against it, nor hate him, nor rail at his persō but submit thyself unto it, for it is the message and Ministry of thy salvation: if otherwise, thou doest indeed a great wrong to the Minister, for thou frustratest his commission: but alas, a far greater to thyself, for thou furstratest thine own salvation.

The second Treatise, of the Duties and Dignities of the Ministry.

I N the five former Chapters are contained such Sermons, as the Prophet had made under Uzziah king of Judah: At this Chapter begin such as he preached in the reign of Jotham, and so forward: But before he either preach or prophecy of anything, in King Jotham's days, or his successors, the Lord in this Chapter gives a new commission to the Prophet, & a new confirmation to this Calling: the old king in whose days Esayah was first called being now dead, & another succeeding him, God with the new king, reneweth the calling & commission of the Prophet: wherein God doth not give him another calling, for one calling to the office of the ministry is sufficient: but he confirmeth the calling formerly given, by repeating & ratifying it. And this God did to Isaiah, not as he was an ordinary, but an extraordinary prophet: for ordinary Ministers need no renovation of their calling, nor any new signs of confirmation, but extraordinary prophets, who come in extraordinary manner, & to do many extraordinary works, God in his wisdom will have their calling confirmed, again, & again, & that by very extraordinary means. Out of which practice of the Lord, we learn, how great cause we have to doubt these men, to be either fantastical or worse, who pretend extraordinary callings in these days, and yet scarce can show us any good signs of an ordinary, much less of an extraordinatie motion: for if in those days, when such courses were more common, God will have his extraordinary Prophets calling to be renewed & confirmed, again, & again, then certainly in these days, we may justly require, more, & more wonderful signs of an extraordinary calling afore we believe it: and if God himself was so careful to satisfy his Church in those days of the vocation of his prophet, surely the church in these days hath much more cause to doubt in such cases, and to require many and extraordinary signs, afore it acknowledge any such extraordinary calling: These men therefore offer much wrong to the Church, & deserve both the censure thereof, and the sword of the Magistrate, who dare so boldly offer and obtrude to the Church their own fancies and dreams, as extraordinary motions of God's spirit. This is the occasion and coherence.

This Chapter hath two partes, first, the means of his confirmation, from the beginning to these words: secondly, the confirmation it self, from these words to the end: the means of his confirmation is a vision he saw from heaven, of certain holy Angels appearing and speaking to him, in the first 4. verses. In the confirmation, which followeth in these words, are three points •

1 The effect of the vision, which i wrought in the Prophet, it caused him fear, it astonished him, and cast him down: in the fifth verse.

2 His Consolation, & raising up again after his fear, in the 6. and 7. verses.

3 The renewing of his Commission again, from thence to the end.

The fear and astonishment of the Prophet, is described,

1 By the signs, of which are two;

1 A note of exclamation, woe is me.

2 By a note of extreme dejection in himself, I am undone.

2 By the causes of it, which are also set down to be two:

1 He was a man polluted, and dwelt amongst people polluted.

2 He had seen the Lord.

Then said I, woe is me, I am undone.

The first point in order is, the fear & ecstacy into which the Lord drove his holy Prophet, which the Lord did not in his anger, but in his love unto him, not for a punishment of sin, but as an evidence of his further love: for the intent and purpose of God in striking this fear into him, was to enable him to be a true prophet, & a fit messenger for himself. It may seem a strange course, which God taketh to confirm & raise up his servant in zeal and courage, to strike him into an extreme fear, even to astonish and amaze him, and yet we see it is the course which the Lord taketh: out of which practice of the Lord, we learn this doctrine: That all true Ministers, especially such as are deputed to the greatest works in his church, must be first of all stricken into a great fear, in consideration of the greatness of their function, yea, into an amazement and astonishment, in the admiration of God's glory & greatness, whose room they occupy, & whose message they bring, & the more they are afraid and shrink, so it be under the contemplation of God's Majesty, and their own weakness, the more likelier it is that they are truly called of God, & appointed for worthy purposes in his Church: but he that steps to this function without fear, he may thrust in himself, but its doubtful whether he be called of God, as here the Prophet was: Nor is it so here alone, but everywhere when God called any of his servants, to any great work, be first drove thē into these fears and a mazements, as is evident in Moses, in Jeremiah, in S. Paul and others. The reason of this dealing of the Lord is plain: namely, because man's nature is always ready to take enough and too much unto it self, God therefore in his wisdom puts a bridle unto the corrupt nature of mā, & astonisheth it, least it presume too much, & take too much upon it self: Again▪ a Minister is to preach unto the people, fear & reverence of the Lord: but how can he do so to others, whē he hath not tied that bond in his own conscience, nor was ever cast down in admiration of God's glory & Majesty: And lastly, the ministry is a high & excellent calling (especially the office of extraordinary prophets in the old testament) & is therefore subject to pride, and to be puffed up with self-conceits, & therefore teacheth the Apostle to Timothy, that a Minister may not be a young scholar, least he be puffed up, & fall into the condemnation of the wicked: giving us to understand, that it is y ^e peculiar danger of that calling to have high conceits of thenselves, because of the height & dignity of there function. Therefore to prevent this inconvenience, God in mercy appointeth that all his true Ministers shall have some means or other, to be cast down even to nothing in thenselves, & shall be driven into such fears & amazements at sight of their own wickedness, as they shall throw down themselves at Christ's feet, and denying themselves wholly, shall acknowledge that they are in him whatsoever they are: and do rely, and trust only on his grace and help.

The use of this doctrine, as it is for all Ministers, so specially for us which live in the Vniuersity: we live as it were in a Seminary, and many of us are hereafter by God's grace to be framed to the Ministry, and some of us already are. Now here we have many occasions to be puffed up in self-conceits: we see our selves grow in time, in degrees, in learning, in honor, in name and estimation: & to many of us God gives good portions of his gifts: what are all these, but so many baits to allure us to pride, & vain opinions of our own worths? but let us remember the end we aim at, is not human, nor carnal: our purpose is to save souls, Then the weapons of our war must not be carnal, as pride, vain-glory, and self-conceit. If therefore we ever look to be made instruments of God's glory in saving of souls, then at the first set we not before our eyes the honor, but the danger of our calling, and humble we our selves under the mighty hand of our God, that he may exale us in his due time: and let us be content that God give any occasion or means to pul us down, either by outward cross, or inward temptation: and let us rejoice, when we are thereby so far cast down, that we cry out in the astonishment of our spirits, as the Prophet here • Woe is me, I am undone: but otherwise if we will needs follow the swinge of our proud natures, and trust in our own ability, gifts, and learning, let us know, we use carnal weapons in a spiritual warfare: and let us be assured the Lord will work no great work in his Church by our Ministry: we may raise our selves in worldly estimation, and work out our own purposes, but we shall do little in the salvation of souls: for those men do pronounce the most powerful blessings on other men's souls, and speak the best words of comfort to other men's consciences, which oftenest say unto themselves; Woe is me, I am undone.

Furthermore, whereas the Prophet at this Vision and Revelation of God's glory unto him, crieth out of himself, Woe is me, I am undone: being words of extreme fear and astonishment, and of so low a dejection as is a degree towards desperation (if it had gone forward): let us learn that the Prophet held not in his judgment, the Doctrine of Intercession of Angels and Saints for particular men, for if he had, he need not at the sight of God's majesty, forthwith to have cried out, Woe is me, I am undone, but he might have stayed himself a while in this cogitation, I will desire Moses, Samuel, or David, to pray to this glorious GOD for me, or here are holy Angels of the Seraphim here present, they see in what fearful case I am, I will pray to them to speak to this glorious and mighty Lord for me, that I perish not in this fear: but he instantly seeing the Lord appear in Majesty, and fearing his just wrath, (being guilty of his own corruptions) without any hope or expectation, or (as he seems) without the least cogitation of help or assistance from any creature, he crieth out, I am undone.

Lastly, whereas he exclaimeth, Woe is me, I am undone: being words of a soul humbled and dejected, and hereby showeth himself to be in that case, which a poor sinner is, when the preaching of the Law hath humbled him, by showing him his sins and his extreme danger by them. We may learn, that to be called to the Mnisterie, is to be as it were converted and regenerate: and that when a man is called thereunto, it is a work little less then that whereby GOD calleth a sinner from his sin, to the state of repentance: for as God first casteth down the sinner, before he give him grace, or any feeling of his love in Christ: so here, he first abaseth and casteth down the Prophet in the sight of GOD'S Majesty, and his own misery, afore he honor him with a Commission to preach his word unto his people. Which I note against those men, which hold it so ordinary a matter to enter into the Ministry, as many do, which take it upon them in worldly and politique purposes. And some of a better rank, which think if a man have learning, degrees and age, he is sufficiently qualified for that calling. But alas, this is not all; there is a greater work to be wrought then so, he must be humbled and cast down in sight of the greatness of that calling, of the majesty of that God whose room he is to execute, and of the unworthiness of himself to so great a work: he must be resolved, that to call a man to the Ministry, is the greatest work that GOD worketh in his Church, but the converting of a sinner, and calling him to the state of grace: nay it is a work even like unto it: for as a sinner in his conversion, so he at his Vocation to that place, is often to cry out in the amazement of his soul, Woe is me, I am undone. As therefore they are foully deceived, which think any holiness or sanctification, can sufficiently qualify a man without learning, so are they no less which think all outward complements to be sufficient without this work, which here was wrought in the holy Prophet. Thus Causes of we see the fear & astonishment of the his fear 2. Prophet. It followeth.

For I am a man of polluted lips.

Now follow the causes of his fear, which are two. The first is, his own pollution and sinfulness, and the sinfulness of his people: his own he freely confesseth in these words; I am a man of polluted lips: that is, I am a miserable and sinful man, and therefore I fear and tremble to stand in God's presence: nay, I dare not look upon the Lord, for my sins. But it may be demanded, how could the Prophet say thus truly, for he was a holy man, and justified in God's prefence, by his true faith in the Messias, and sanctified by repentance: can a man justified and sanctified, say, he is a man polluted? I answer, It is doubtless, he was so, he therefore complaineth here not of any great and enormous sins, which he had committed to the public scandal of the Church, but first of the corruptiō of his nature, which in him as in all men is a very sea of iniquity, & which always appears the more, the nearer a man comes to God, and therefore did now most apparently discover it self in the prophet, when he was in the presence of the Lord himself. Secondly, he complaineth of some actual sins of his life, and it is more likely of some sins of omission, then of commission: for we find not that the prophet was ever touched with any great sin, & where we know it not, we are in charity not to imagine it. So that it is most probable, he complaineth of some smaller faults, or negligences in his Ministry: as not preaching to the people at some time when he ought, or not preaching so willingly or cheerfully as he should, or desire to leave preaching, because the people were stubborn & disobedient, or some impatience in his Ministry, when the people were rebellious and resisted his doctrine, which passion might the rather vex him (as we read it did Jeremiah) the Jews were so stubborn & stiffnecked a people: or it may be some want of zeal or forwardness, these, or some such were the cause of his fear: And the conscience of these makes him here cry out that he cannot stand in the sight of God. Where we learn, first, what a tender conscience godly Ministers must have above all men: namely, that they must make conscience, not of the great and gross sins only; but even of the lowest & least sins: and he must endeavor in his calling, not only to be clear of great crimes, but as far as may be, to be free from the least appearance of evil, and from the least negligences in his place, for a small faultin other men is great in them, and that which may be some ways pardonable in other men, is no way in them: they must therefore watch over themselves most carefully, and take heed to all their ways: & for this ende is it, that a Minister in godly wisdom must often deprive himself even of many things (which it may be, lawfully he might use) least his liberty be an occasion of evil to others: and must abstain from the least sins, least even they be blemishes to his calling, and burdens to his conscience. And hence is it, that a minister cannot be too careful in his calling, in his words, diet, company, recreation, apparel, gestures, and in his whole carriage, because little sins are so great in thē, Especially ministers must here learn the Apostles lesson, to be instant in season and out of season: to preach and exhort, to comfort and rebuke, publicly and privately: to good, to bad: when it is well taken, when it is ill taken: when they willingly receive it, and when they stubbornly resist it: when they commend him, and reward him, and when they rail at him, and persecute him for it: thus must he be diligent in season and out of season, for the least negligence in his duty, or omitting the least opportunity of doing good, will when God visits his conscience, be a burden and vexation to him, as it was here to the Prophet.

And furthermore, if these small sins thus afflicted the Prophet, then alas what is to be thought of those ministers who make no conscience of foul and scandalous sins? how shall Symonie, Incontinencie, Usury, inhospitality, covetousness, Ignorance, Idleness, careless Nonresidencie, how shall these (I say) and other like grievous crimes oppress & burden the soul, when as the smallest sins do so affright this holy man? Surely, whē God shall visit them, their states will be most fearful, nor, shall any man's case be so miserable, as an vncōscionable ministers: And though now such loose and licentious Ministers seem to live in Iolitie, & without any fear, yet when God shall appear unto their conscience, then will they cry out in fearful anguish, Woe is me, I am undone.

And again, if these small faults so affrighted this holy prophet, & burdened his conscience, then what pitiful consciences have those ministers, whose daily negligence, and unconscionable carelessness in their places is such, as all men speak of, and yet they are not touched: surely these men are not of so tender consciences as the prophet was: & either the prophet here was much more nice then needed, or else these men will prove to be in a miserable estate.

Lastly, let Ministers of care and conscience, be here comforted in the example of the Prophet: who is there, but may find imperfections and blemishes in himself, which will often make him cry out; Woe is me? but let not that discomfort them, but rather rejoice, that they can see their own weakness, as the Prophet did here: If they have cause to exclaim against themselves, they are not alone, it was this, and all other holy prophets case before them. In having imperfections in themselves, they are no more miserable then the Prophet was: but let them labor to be as blessed in seeing & complaining of themselves as he was: And let every minister assure himself, that the more he makes conscience, even of the least sins of all, the more he resembleth the ancient holy Prophets, & the more likely is he to work effectually in his ministry. For his duty is to work in his people a conscience, not of great sins only, but even of all: but how can he do that in them, if he have not first of all done it in himself? hence it is therefore, that godly ministers find fault with themselves, when other men cannot, and cry out against themselves, for their pollutions (with the prophet here) when no other man can accuse them of the least crime: nay, when other do magnify God for his graces on them, and praise their gifts, and commend their good lives, even then do they condemn themselves, and exclaim against their own corruptions: and their own smallest negligences, or omissions, are great wounds to their consciences: and their least sins, and their most pardonable infirmities, are sore burdens unto them: for of all men in the world, a godly minister is a man of the most tender conscience.

Hitherto hath the prophet complained generally of his pollution.

Particularly, he exclaimeth against the pollution of his lips. But why will some say, complains he of the pollution of his lips, rather then of his heart, or his hands, or any other part of him, were they not all polluted▪ yes, all in some measure: and was not he grieved at them all? yes assuredly, we must grant that also. But the reason is he was a prophet, his duty was to use his tongue, the practice of his calling consisted in the use of his tongue: for a minister is an interpeter, as he is called, Job 33. 23. that is, the people's to God by prayer, and God's to the people by preaching: he is God's mouth, and the people's mouth: so that the tongue of a Minister is that part of his body, which is to be used as a principal instrument of God's glory, and more to the setting forth of his honor then any other: Now every man is to be tried what he is by his calling, rather then by any other accidental or collateral courses: therefore the honor or dishonor of a minister, is the use or the abuse of his tongue: and his comfort or discomfort is the well using, or not using of it. The prophet therefore here affrighted at God's prefence, and therefore retiring into himself, presently his conscience checks him for his most proper sins: namely, for some fault or negligence in his Ministry, (which is the proper sin of that calling) and therefore is it that he exclaimeth against the pollutions of his lips: out of which practice of his we may learn;

First, the vanity of the Papists, who magnify the merits of holy men's works: for if this holy prophet, a man truly justified, & extraordinarily sanctified, yet durst not stand before God in this little apparance of his glory, notwithstanding all his zeal, and courage, and conscience, and pains, and sufferings in his function, but was cast down so far, from a conceit of his own worth, that he cried out; Woe is me, I am undone. How then can we who are no better, but much worse then he, stand before GOD in the day of Judgment, in the great appearing of his infinite justice and glory? Rather doubtless, as here the smallest pollution of his lips, and negligence in his calling, drove him out of all conceit of merit, when once he came into the presence of GOD: so the due consideration of our so many and foul pollutions above his, should beat down all proud conceits of our own goodness, when we appear before GOD. It is therefore to be feared, that the Papists, who thus magnify their own merits, do seldom or never enter into earnest consideration of their own infirmities, do seldom persent themselves in the presence of God's majesty. For if they did, then doubtless the least sight of their least pollutiō, would make them far from ever thinking of their own merits.

They also tell us, of works of superrogation, but it seems here, this holy Prophet had none of them. And they teach, a man may in this life perfectly fulfill the Law, but who can do it, i • not ministers? And what ministers, if not extraordinary prophets? And yet Isaiah (the first and chief of them) exclaimeth here in pitiful manner against his pollutions: Doubtless, if the papists would cease flattering themselves, and not examine their consciences by their own pleasing corruption, but present themselves in the face and presence of GOD'S Majesty, they would be far from these conceits.

In the next place, whereas the prophet complaineth of the pollution of his lips: As of the peculiar sin of his place: Ministers are here taught, to avoid that sin above all other; and to labor in that duty above any other: for the doing of it, is his most comfort: the want of it is his most vexation: his tongue is the Instrument given him to honor God, if he use it well, it yields him comfort, more then any other duties.

But if he use not, or abuse his tongue, the pollution of his lips will be the heaviest burden of all: they therefore are greatly deceived, who think a Minister to discharge sufficiently his duty, though he preach not if he keep good Hospitalitie and make peace amongst his Neighbors, and perform other works of charatie and good life: for if a Minister have not this virtue, he hath none: If he preach not; If he abuse his lips: or if he open them not, he hath no conscience, nor can have any comfort, for that is the principal duty of a Minister (though all the other be required to make him complete): the want of them may condemn him before men, but it is the pollution of his lips, which presently checks him before GOD, as we see here in this holy Prophet: the conclusion then is to every Minister, that if he had all the virtues and good properties, that can commend a man in the world, yet if his lips be polluted, either by not preaching, or by negligent, idle, or careless preaching, this pollution will so stain his conscience, and so burden him in the presence of God, that the time will come (notwithstanding all his other good qualities) he will cry out in far more pitiful manner thē here the Prophet doth • Woe is 〈◊〉 I am undo •• , because I am a • an of polluted lips. It followeth;

And I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips.

The Prophet not only complains of his own pollution, but of his people's also amongst whom he lived, and this he doth for these causes: First, to teach us, that it is the Ministers duty to confess not only his own sins, but the sins of his people, & to complain of them to God: for as he is the people's Interpretar to God, he must not think it enough to put up their petitions, to unfold their wants, & crave relief for them at God's hand, but he must further take knowledge of the sins of his people, and make both public and private confession of them to God: and the more particularly he can do this, the better: and this he is to do, both for the people's good, and for his own also, because it cannot be but the sins of his people, are in some sort his: for this is the peculiar danger of the Magistrates and Ministers ••• ling, that generally the sins of their people are theirs: I mean, that they are accessory to the sins of their people, either by provoking them by their evil example, or by not reproving, or not hindering or suffering, or winking, or covering & concealing, or not punishing them, or not carefully enough using means to prevent them: by all which means and many more, it comes to pass, that the people's sins are the Ministers by communication: so that as well for his own sake, as theirs, he is to confess to GOD their sins, as well as his own.

Now if a Minister must confess his people's sins, then it followeth confequently, that he must know them; and take notice of them, for else he cannot confess them. And this is one cause why the holy Ghost commands a Pastor to know his flock.

He must not only have a flock, and know which is his flock: or have a general • ye over it, out he must have a particular and 〈◊〉 knowledge of the state of it, • nd the more particular the better.

And if the Minister ought to know and confess his people's sins, then if followeth, first, that it is best for a Minister to be present with his people, that so he may the better know them and their state: and certainly if it be a Ministers duty to confess to God the pollutions of his people, then willful and careless Nonresidency and all absence, without just and conscionable causes, must needs be a foul & fearful sin. For how could Isaiah have confessed, that his people were a people of polluted lips, but that he dwelt amongst them. Nay, saith the Prophet, he dwelt in the midst among them, indeed well may he know and confess his people's pollutions, that dwells in the midst amongst them.

Again, if the Minister be to confess his people's sins, and therefore must needs know them, then it followeth also that they must discover & confess them unto him, or else 〈◊〉 not possible he should perfectly kno • e their estate: the want of this is a great fault in our Churches, for how ever we condemn Auricular confession, as a very policy in the deuisers, and as a rack to the consciences of poor Christians, yet we not only allow, but call and 〈◊〉 for that confession, whereby a Christian voluntarily at all times may resort to his Pastor, and open his estate, and disburden his conscience of such sins, as disquiet him, and crave his godly assistance, and holy prayers: great blessing and comfort doth doubtless follow them that use this godly practice, and the want of it, is cause that a minister cannot discern the state even of his own flock nor can complain to God of their pollutions, and confess their sins so particularly, as would be good both for him and them.

Secondly, the Prophet couples together his own pollution, and the pollutions of his people, as the adjuvant, or helping cause & the effect: For the pollution of a people, helps forward the pollution of a Minister, and the worse people they are, the worse do they make him, though he be otherwise never so good: For even the Prophet, though called of God himself, & justified and sanctified, & a man of extraordinary grace, yet dwelling in y ^e midst of a people so stubborn & disobedient, as the Jews were, was something touched with their pollutions: Ministers (even the best) are men, and this comes to pass by reason of the corruption of their nature as they are mē: the nature of which corruption is to apprehend any evil where ever it finds it, and to partake with it: regeneration qualifieth & abates this corruption, but takes it not away perfectly in this life: whereby it comes to pass, that a Minister, living amongst evil people, cannot but be somewhat stained with their pollution, of what sort soever they be: insomuch as it is often seen, that one known to be otherwise disposed of himself, is found to be disposed to this or that evil, by living amongst a people so disposed. And again, that a minister in such a place, and amongst such people, free from such and such sins, removed to another place, is there found more or less tainted with them, because they abound amongst the people: and yet further, that a minister, known to be faithful, painful and zealous, & coming to a disobedient, stubborn, froward, or profane & dissolute people, his faith is weakened, his zeal & courage abated, God's graces in him dulled, & much decayed: godly Ministers do daily complain hereof, and experience everywhere shows it too true. Out of this, we may learn something both for our instruction, and for our conversation.

For our instruction, it here appears how wicked and wretched the corruption of our nature is, which cannot but receive some contagion from the pollution of those with whom we live: for this is so, not only in them who carry a loose hand over themselves, but even in such as look most narrowly unto their steps: as we see here in this holy Prophet, who was a man of more then ordinary sanctification: how little cause therefore hath any man to extol nature? and how much less cause the schoolmen and some other papists, to give the least commendation to our pure naturals: for if nature rectified by grace, be so hardly kept within compass, alas how outrageous & perverse is it, when it reigns without controlment?

And for our further instruction, here we may see of what a creeping and encroaching nature sin is, which like a secret venom in the natural body, so it in the pollitique body restes not in the place, or party poisoned, but closely creeps & diffuseth it self into every part and member of the whole: it creeps from man to man, yea, from an evil man to a good, from the worst man to the best: from profane men, to godly Ministers: and as from public persons (as Magistrates and Ministers) it descendeth visibly, and the example of their evil life is palpably scandalous: so from the people to the Magistrate, or Minister, it creepeth closely, & ascendeth in more secret and insensible manner, yet in the effect it is too sensible: for it is always seen, that they are something touched with their people's pollutions: sin is not only as a poison spreading from the heart to all parts, from the minister to the people: but as a gangreue, if it begin in the foot, will without speedy prevention spread privily to the heart: so sin shows it self, even from the people to the Ministers: So great cause is there for all men to stop sin in the beginning, to break it in the egg, to give water no passage, no not a little: for let this gangreue begin at the feet, it will not rest till it be in the heart.

For our conversation we are here taught, first, if a Minister, by reason of the corruption of his own nature, and the creeping nature of sin, is in such danger to be stained with the people's pollutions, then let all Ministers desire, and use all good means to dwell with a people as little polluted as may be: otherwise let him assure himself to be polluted with them, which is both a great discōfort to his own conscience (as here it was to the Prophet) and disgrace to his profession: for if it be a duty of every good professor of religion, to keep himself unspotted of the world, then how much more is it the Ministers duty so to do? and how foul a stain is it to the honor of his calling, to be polluted in the common pollutions of his people?

It may be therefore good counsel to all godly Ministers in the placing & disposing of themselves, not to inquire only how good a living such and such a place is, how well seated, how healthful and beneficial it will be, (which are alas the common & almost the only questions nowadays) but principally, to regard what a people they be: and how affected, amongst whom they are to live: if godly and well disposed, or at least tractable and gentle, & willing to be taught, thē less to regard other incommodities: but if wicked, and profane, or (which is worse) stubborn, froward, and intractable, then less to regard the greatest commodities: & certainly if this point be well considered of, and how bitter it hath been in the ende, to many who have not regarded it, it will appear, that this is the best encouragement or discouragement, the greatest commodity, or discommoditie, and the best reason, either to win a mā to a place, or to draw him from it, how good soever it be other ways: they that neglect this duty, and are led (or misled rather) with carnal and worldly respects, how just is it upon thē when they are made to cry in the sorrow of their soul, W • e is me, I dwell in the midst of a people of polluted lips.

And here such Ministers as have poor livings, but good people, let them not faint nor be discouraged, they have more cause to bless God, then to be grieved, for doubtless they are far better thē those who have great livings, and an evil people.

But as for those to whom God hath been so good, as to bestow upon them competent livings, and a willing and well disposed people, let them think themselves double blessed of God, and treble bound to honor God, & to do good in his Church: and if such men go not before their brethren in all Ministerial care and duty, their fault is above all men's, & they make themselves unworthy of so great mercies.

Again, if that a polluted people, pollutes their Minister, here is a good warning for all ministers to be wary & choice of their company, with whom they will most privately converse: for, as on the one side they may not retire themselves into solitariness, nor sequester thenselves from all society with their people, (which is rather a Cimicall and fantastical, then any way a religious practice): so of all men are they to be most careful, that they do not loosely and lavishly bestow themselves on all companies, as too many do in our Church, to the great scandal thereof, who care not with whom they converse, but all companies, all places, all times, all sportes & recreations, all meetings, all occasions, are one with them: but alas, what marvel, though such men keep not thenselves unspotted of the world, but prove too offensive to their calling: for seeing the best mē cannot live with the best people, but they shall receive some contagion from them, how carefully ought ordinary ministers to make difference of men and meetings, times and places, and not diffusedly & carelessly to thrust themselves into all: So doing shall they keep their calling from much reproach, & preserve themselves from much pollution, which otherwise from their polluted people, they shall be sure to receive.

And here people are to be admonished, not too sharply to censure their ministers: though he be not so sociable with them all, as it may be many would expect: for it concerns no man to be so wary of his company and his sports, as it doeth the minister: and if they would have comfort and honor by their minister, let them be careful into what recreations & company they draw or desire him: for the more polluted the people are amongst whom he lives, the more careful must he be to keep himself clear from their pollutions.

Lastly, here people are taught, not to be too sharp condemners of those ministers, whose conversations are not so unblameable as were to be wished: for as they live ill, generally the cause is, because they live amongst an il people.

Why then should they so much condemn them, for such faults, as wherein themselves have made them faulty? I say not, but our Church and state, and Ministry, are to censure such men, (and it were good they did it more) but it is against all reason the people should do so, whereas themselves are the cause of it: For alas, if this holy Prophet was a man of polluted lips, because he dwelt with a people of polluted lips: what marvel then, though ordinary Ministers be polluted with the common and universal pollutions of their people: People therefore, are first of all to see that themselves be well ordered and godly, and then justly may they complain, if the lives of their Ministers be not agreeable: but otherwise, it is not possible without very special grace of God, but that a minister shall be more or less touched W ^t those crimes which are the common faults of his people. And lamentable experience daily lets us see, that where a people in a town is given to drunkenness, there the Minister, is either so for company, or at least too good a fellow: where a people are given to contention, there the Minister hath too many fuites: where the people be Popish, there the Minister is too superstitious: where the people be ignorant, there the Minister is no great clarke: where the people are given to any great sin, there the Minister generally is not clear from the same pollution: and it is seen, that the best ministers & most careful of all, do complain bitterly of the pollutions of their people: for that how soever it may be they escape partaking with their sins: yet they always find, at the least a dulling & decaying of God's graces in themselves, where the people are untoward and disobedient. If therefore a Minister lives with such a people, his case is pitiful and dangerous, for he walks in the midst of nets and snares, which are laid for him on every side, and if he escape them (I mean, if he keep himself unspotted, in the midst of a spotted & polluted people) his care and his conscience is worthy both admiration and imitation, and himself is worthy double honor, as being both a zealous minister and a holy man. But he whō God hath blessed with a good and tractable people, and well affected to the word, and yet himself liveth loosely & scandalously amongst them, a heavy burden and a hard account, lieth on that minister, and no rebuke is too rough no punishment too great, no censure too sharp for him. And, if this holy Prophet, fear so much the presence of God for his small pollutions, and yet lived amongst so wicked and polluted a people, then what heaviness and horror, shall be heaped on his soul, who cares not with how foul pollutions his life be stained, and yet liveth amongst a godly & well disposed people? And thus we have the first cause of his fear, his own, and his people's pollutions.

It followeth.

And mine eyes hath seen the King, and Lord of Hosts.

THe second cause of the Prophets fear and astonishment is, He san the Lord, who then appeared in glory unto him: not that he saw the substance of God (for that is invisible and incomprehensible) but his glory: Nor the fullness of his glory, for that cannot be endured, but a glimpse of it: nor that with the eyes of his body in ordinary manner, but in a vision: wherein how far the eyes of his body were used, neither the Prophet expresseth, nor we can well conceive. The meaning then is; In a vision he saw such glory and Majesty, as he knew there was an extraordinary presence of the Lord of hosts, who is the King of glory, at whose sight, and thought of his presence, instantly his conscience is smitten with fear, for his own infirmities, and the pollutions of his people.

Wherein let us first of all observe the connection and dependence of these two causes, one upon another: for as they are both jointly the cause of his fear, so one of thē is in a sort the cause of another: he feareth, because of his own and his people's sins, and because he saw the Lord: but why is he afraid to see the Lord? the cause thereof is his own and their sins, without which he would never have been afraid, but rather have gloried to see the Lord: but his conscience checking him, for some defect of duty in his calling, therefore he trembleth at the least glimpse of God's glory. Here let us mark the ground of his reason, which is this: That man that is in his sins, is not able to stand in the presence of God: this is a general and certain truth, & the reasons of it are; First, the contrariety betwixt God, and the nature of sin, it being the only thing which offends him, & which provokes his wrath and just displeasure: therefore as a subject cannot but be much amazed, if he hap to come into the kings presence, with anything about him which the king hates, or cannot abide to see: so a man cannot but be extreme astonished, if he know himself to be in God's presence with his sins, which God's soul hateth.

Secondly, sin makes a man indebted to God: for as the Law tieth him first to obedience, so if he sin and fail in that, it binds him to punishment: and the more a man sinneth, the deeper is he in God's debt. If then in this world, a man willingly endures not the sight of him, in whose debt he is; what marvel, though a poor sinner tremble at the presence of God, to whom he hath forfaited soul and all.

Thirdly, sin is that which provoketh God to 〈◊〉 : therefore a sinful man feareth the presence of God, as a traitor the face of the Prince, or a malefactor of the Judge. For these causes, a wicked man endures not God's presence.

Now God's presence hath diverse degeees. First, God is present to our coscience, when we think of him. 2. He is present, when we name him, or hear him named or mentioned by others, and these are the surthest off: Thirdly, God is nearer unto us in the presence of his Ordinances, as his Word and Sacraments, and public service in the Congregation: Fourthly, there is a most apparent and sensible presence of God, which shall be at the last Judgment, when all men shall stand before him in his immediate presence, to receive their judgment. Now all these presences of God, are hateful to a wicked man: for the first, a wicked man by his good will never thinks of God, and if sometime a thought of God (like lightning) flashes in his mind, presently he quencheth it, as being a most unwelcome and burdensome thought unto him: therefore saith David; The wicked is so proud, he careth not for God: neither is God in all his thoughts: Nay, God himself is so little thought on, by them, that they will willingly think of nothing, that might bring GOD into their thoughts: as namely, God's great works of his wonderful Judgments: of whom the same prophet saith, in the same place, Thy Judgments are far above, out of his sight. As if he had said, he labors to set them far from the eye of his mind, that he may never have occasion to think of them, nor on God by them. That this is true for his thoughts', I have endeavored thus to prove, by God's own testimonies, because thoughts cannot be discerned by man. But alas, for the second, that is, for his words, that's too apparent in the sight of all men. For observe it, and you shall never see a wicked man, by his good will have God in his mouth, (unless it be to abuse his name, by swearing or blasphemy) nor willingly doth he hear any other man talk, or discourse largely of God, or of his greatness and his Justice; but such talk is tedious & cumbersome unto him: and if he cannot break it off with other discourse, then he sits as mute as a fish, and inwardly either frets with anger, or is tormented with fear. All this is true in Felix the Governor: who whilst Paul discoursed of righteousness, temperance, and Judgment to come: The Text saith, in the mean time, he trembled.

And for the third, we see daily wicked men, endure not God's presence in the Church: for nothing is more troublesome unto thē, then many Sermons, often praying, and much receiving of the Sacrament: & therefore they never come to the Church, nor receive ofter then the Law lays upon them: but further then that, as the Psalmist saith; they never call upon God. But as for the last, that they fear and abhor above all, they wish in their heart it may never be. And therefore S. Paul makes it a token of a true believer, and a holy man, to love, and look for the appearing of Jesus Christ. Whereupon it followeth, that evē so it is a sign of a wicked man, to fear the last judgment, & to wish it might never be: And when it comes indeed, & they see they cannot escape it, what thē do they? Even cry to the mountains, fall upon us: and to the hills, cover us, and hide us: from what? from the presence of God: so fearful and so hateful is God's prsence to a sinful man.

Besides these, there is another way, whereby God showeth his presence: and that is, by extraordinary revelation of his glory immediately: which was usual in the Old Testament, as here to the Prophet, but now is not to be expected. But how terrible that is to the sinful nature of man, appears in this place: for if the Prophet a most holy man, whose conscience accused him, but of a few and small sins, yet thus cries out, amazed & affrighted, at the revelation of some part of God's glory: alas, how would they be terrified with it, whose consciences are burdened with great and grievous sins, & that without reap̄tance? Thus we see the ground of his reason, how true it is, that a man in his sin, cannot cheerfully come, nor boldly stand in God's presence. The use of this Doctrine: First of all, let us see the monstrous presumption of such minister as dare venture rashly into the ministry, to tread vpō the holy ground of God, with unclean feet; to handle the holy things of God with unwashen hands: For what is it to enter into the Ministry, but to enter into the chamber of presence of the great King? and should not a man look about him, afore he come there? Therefore if God rebuked Moses, for stepping too hastily towards the Bushe, where his presence is, and said; Come not too near, for the place where thoustādest is holy ground: then how will God rebuke and check the consciences of such carnal men, as carelessly & carnally rush into the Pulpit, and to God's holy Table, where God is present, in a far more excellent manner then he was in the Bush? And if they be so to be blamed, who enter into this calling without fear and reverence, then how much more faulty are they, who being Ministers, dare venture to preach, or minister the holy Sacraments, without holy and private preparation, & sanctification of themselves: but rush upon them, as upon common & profane actions? Whereas God is present there, in a most holy and glorious manner: these men sure will say, the Prophet here was of too nice a conscience: but fearfully and terribly shall God appear at last unto such men, as care not how they appear in his holy presence.

Secondly, this showeth the reason of the practice of all Christian churches: who use to pray before the Sermon & after: namely, not for Decorum only, & to grace the action, but to sanctify and to humble our selves, because then we come before God's presence: they therefore do not think reverently enough of God, and his presence, who do by their practice in any sort, make way to the contrary.

Thirdly, we may here learn, the pitiful case of those ministers, who are so presumptuous, as to exercise that holy function, & yet remain 〈◊〉 their sins without repentance: what do these men? they approach to the burning Bush, with their shoes on their feet: that is, into God's presence in their sins: what shall come of it in the end? surely, that burning fire shall consume thē: the least sin, & smallest negligences affrighted this holy Prophet, when he should go into God's presence: But these men dare come into the Sanctuary of God; yea, dare take God's word in their mouth's, and yet hate to be reformed, and do cast the glorious Word of God behind their backs, which they preach to others with their mouths: these men may wonder at this holy Prophets nicenes, or else all the world may wonder at their profaneness. A little pollution of his lips, feared him to come into God's presence: but these dare do it, with eyes, ears, lips, feet, hands, heart; and all polluted: their eyes polluted, with careless looking at all vanities: their ears with hearing: and their lips with speaking, wanton & wicked talk: their feet, with running into wicked company: their hands, with practicing and their harts, with devising and consenting to all wickedness.

This is the cause, why the labors of such men are almost unprofitable: because they dare come into God's presence in their sins. In many places of our land, there is by God's blessing much teaching, yet there is little reformation, in the lives of the most: but contrariwise, some fall to Atheism: some to Papism: some into foul sins, not to be named amongst Ghristians.

Where is the cause? surely not in the Gospel: nor in our doctrine, nor in the teaching of it; but one very principal cause is, many Ministers come into God's presence, unsanctified, & in their sins: not caring how loosely they live, in the face of their people: and therefore God in justice, though he instantly smite not them, with visible vengeance for their presumption: yet he smites the people, with spiritual blindness, that they regard not their Doctrine, but look at their lives, and do rather follow the profaneness of the one, then the holiness of the other. Ministers are such, in whom God will be sanctified, therefore because they do not so, but dishonor him, by coming into his presence in their sins: therefore he cannot abide them, nor give any blessing to their labors.

All ministers therefore, as they would see any fruit of their Ministry, let them first sanctify themselves, & cleanse their hearts by repentance, afore they presume, to stand up to rebuke sin in others: else let them not think, that their golden words shall do so much good, as their leaden lives shall do hurt: and they may hap to confirm men, that already are converted, but hardly shall any such men, convert any souls from Popery or profaneness. And it is a vain conceit for men to imagine, there is any force in eloquence, or human learning, to overthrow that sin in others, which ruleth and reigneth in themselves. Our Church, and all reformed churches, may make use of this doctrine: for it is the glory of a Church to have their doctrine powerful, & effectual for the winning of souls, therefore it concerneth them, to take order, as well that their ministers be godly men, as good Scholars, & their lives inoffensiue, as well as their doctrine sound: or else they will find in woeful experience, that they pull down as much with the one hand, as they build up with the other.

But most nearly this doctrine toucheth ministers themselves: who must know, their case is most fearful of all men's, if they come into God's presence, in their profaneness: for as no man is more honorable, then a learned and holy Minister: so none more contemptible in this world, none more miserable for that to come, then he that by his loose & lewd life, doth scandalize his doctrine: and let him assure himself, that for his presumption, in rushing into God's presence in his sins, he shall in this world, be cast out as unsavory salt and trodden down of men, with the foot of contempt: and in the world to come, he shall above all men cry out, in most extreme torment of conscience, W • is me, that my eyes must see the King and Lord of hosts and so because he would not in this world, come into God's presence in sanctification and holiness: he shall therefore in fear and horror, be hailed into the presence of God's glory, at the last day: there to receive the just sentence of his condemnation.

Lastly, all painful and godly Ministers may receive comfort, not to be discouraged or driven from God's presence, because of their corruptions or infirmities, for we see it was the Prophets, case: but let them still approach in fear and reverence, and be so far from being driven from their duty, because they being sinful men, dare not come into God's presence without much fear: as let them contrariwise be assured, that the more they tremble at God's presence here, the less shall they fear it at the last day: and when profane and ungodly men, who in this world feared not to stand in God's presence in their horrible sins, shall cry to the Mountains, fall upon us, and hills cover us, and hide us from the presence of God: then such ministers as in this world in fear and trembling, and always in repentance, did approach into God's presence: shall then look up, and lift up their heads, & shall say to the holy Angels, & all the powers of heaven, help us, and hasten us to come into the glorious presence of our God and Savior.

And thus we see the manisold use of this doctrine to our Church and ministry.

Secondly, In as much as here the prophet in a conscience of his corruptions, feareth and crieth out at the least apparition of God's glory.

The vanity and false dealing of the Church of Rome, is here discoured, in whose Legēds & stories of their Saints, nothing is more common then apparitions from heaven, of Saints depa • ted: of glorious Angels, of the virgin Mary, (and that so familiarly, as sometime she sang with thē in their Cell, kissed some of them, and let them suck her breasts). Nay, of God himself: and especially of our Savior Christ Jesus: who they say, appeared (I know not how oft) to one man: namely, to Saint Francis: and appeared as he was crucified with his wounds, and imprinted those wounds of his, in Francis his body, which they say he bare all his life, and that they bled whensoever he would suffer them, which he always did on Good Friday, that he might be like to Christ. Thus, &c many more such, may yousee in that fabulous & blasphemous book, of the conformities of S. Francis.

But for the matter: Are apparitions from heaven so ordinary in the popish Church? how then came it to pass, that the greatest and holiest men in the old Testament, were so amezed at the very apparition but of an Angel: as we may see in the whole course of the Story? Some ran away, and hid themselves: some covered their faces, some fell flat on the ground: and the Prophets here cried out; Woe is me, I am undone: my eyes have seen the King and Lord of Hosts. But in the Church of Rome, look the stories, that Saint or Monk is nobody that hath not had some apparition: either of the Virgin Marie, or some of the Apostles, or an Angel, or Christ Jesus appearing and talking with them: and yet alas, Peter, lames, and John, those three great pillars, they were as good as beside themselves at the appearing of a little part of the glory of Christ in his transfiguration.

Either therefore must it follow that these men have no sin in them, which dare and can behold God's glory so easily, and so ordinarily, (which is impossible): or rather which indeed is truth, it appears that these are but deceitful fancies and forgeries of their own devise, to deceive the world, and to magnify themselves before the eyes of the common people: for it is first of all most false, that apparitions are so common as they make them, for if they were, then are they more ordinary in the new Testament then in the Olde. For whereas the Scripture hath one, their Legions have twenty: & whereas one, namely, Saint Paul, was once wrapped into heaven, they have 20. that were wrapped thither: And as that is false, so is it impossible that any man clothed with flesh can endure an extraordinary apparition of God's glory, without extreme amazement, as is plain herd in the Prophet: who I hope was as holy a man, as the holiest monk that ever was. I have noted this, that young Divines may be occasioned to look a little into their fabulous legends, that so they may discover the false tricks, and juggling castes of that religion: which evil shifts it needed not, if it were of God.

Thirdly, the people may here learn; First, in that God's presence is so glorious and fearful to man's nature, how mercifully God hath dealt with them, in teaching them not by himself, or by his Angels from heavē, which they could never endure; but by men, who are like themselves: and how vain and fond these men are, who would be taught from heaven, & not by men, who are so full of wants. In the old Testament, when the people received the law from God's own mouth, it is said, they ran away, and cried out, Why should we die? if we hear the voice of God anymore we shall die: for what flesh ever heard the voice of the living God & lived therefore they said to Moses: Go thou near and hear, all that the Lord shall say, & declare thou unto us▪ what God saith to thee, & we wilheare it, & do it. And then saith the text, y ^e Lord said I heard the words of this people, they have said well in all that they have spoken. And so, from that day forward, God ordinarily taught his church by men like themselves: & we see, y ^t the beginning of it was not in judgment, but in mercy unto them. It is therefore the duty of all men, both to acknowledge this mercy of God, in due thankfulness, and withal to remember, when they see infirmities in Ministers, that they are but men, and that if they had not the Ministry of men, howe hard it would, go with them: considering, that the least measure of God's own presence, cannot be endured by any man.

2. Inasmuch as gods presence, is so glorious in itself, and fearful to our nature, all men are taught to prepare themselves by holy prayer, by humisiation, and confession of their sins and unworthiness, afore they come to God's word or sacraments: for they come at that time into God's presence: they therefore are not to come in their security, nor in their ordinary sins unrepented of, least God strike their consciences, with a sense of his fearful displeasure: & make them cry out, upon far greater cause, then here the Propet did.

Thirdly and lastly, we learn here the different natures and properties of sin and holiness: Sin, even the least sin: nay, a very sinfulness of nature makes a man afraid of God's presence: That sin unrepented of doth so, appears in Adam, who as in his integrity, he spoke & conversed even in a familiar sort with God: so no sooner had he finned, but he ran from God, and hid himself: & that even the least sins not repented of, do so also, appears in this Prophet, who being a holy man, yet his conscience being privy to itself of some small omissions or negligēces in his calling, he crieth out, he is undone, because he seeth the Lord of hosts. But contrariwise, the state of perfect holiness, & the want of all sin, makes a man bold in God's presence, and rather desirous then afraid to behold God's glory, which shall be most apparent at the last day: for when the wicked shall desire rather to be covered with the hills, and ground to dust by the mountains, then to appear before the face of God: then shall the godly whose holiness shall then be perfect, look up and lift up their heads, because their redemption is so nigh. And Job testifieth of himself, that he knoweth his redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand before him, & look upon him with his eyes. Thus as guiltiness drives a man from the kings presence, but innocence makes him bold before him: So sinfulness makes a man avoid God's presence, but holiness makes him draw near unto God, and to rejoice in his presence.

Then for a conclusion of this point, let all men hear learn the way to true courage and boldness before GOD: namely, to repent daily of their sins, and labor to grow in true holiness: wealth nor wit, learning nor authority can do this for thee, but only a good conscience, which must be made good by grace and by repentance, then shalt thou rejoice in God's presence in this world, and delight, to think of God, to speak of God, to pray unto him, to meet him in his word and sacraments, and at the last day shalt thou stand with confidence before the throne of his glory.

Hitherto of the fear and astonishment of the Prophet, and of the causes thereof. Now followeth his consolation.

Then flewe one of the Seraphims, &c.

In these two verses is laid down the second general point: namely, the consolation of the Prophet: concerning which, there are two points in the text:

• 1. the ground and matter of his consolation, that is the forgiveness of his sins.
• 2 Divers circumstances of that consolation.
  • 1 The time. Then.
  • 2 The minister by whom it was done: an Angel, one of the Seraphims.
  • 3 The manner how he did it, speedily, He flewe.
  • 4 The instrument or outward sign a Coale from the altar.
  • 5 The outward action or application of it: He touched his lips.

The matter of the consolation is last in order. Let us therefore first speak of the Circumstances.

The first circumstance, is the time when this Prophet was comforted and raised frō his fear. Then saith the text: that is, after his fear and astonishment, but not afore. Thus dealt God always with all his Saints, he bestoweth no graces on thē pertaining to salvation, but after he hath by some means or other brought thē to true humiliation in themselves, and to sorrow for their sins: Humiliation is the preparative for grace: for when by sight and sense of their sins, and their own misery by sin, he hath even driven them quite out of themselves, finding nothing in themselves, but cause of fear and astonishment, then pours he the oil of grace, and of sweet comfort into their hearts, & refresheth their weary souls with the deawe of his mercy: this point needs no further proof, for look into the Scriptures, & we shall find, God never called any man to the state of grace, or to any notable work or function in his Church, but he first humbled them, and then brought them out of all conceit with themselves, and then wrought in them, and by them, his wonderful works.

The use of this doctrine, is first of all to teach all men, to esteem aright of the afflictions that God layeth upon them in this world: commonly men take them impatiently, & our nature grudgrudgeth against them: but let a Christian man consider with himself, how God hath always dealt with his children, and he hath cause not to think so: for doth God lay some great affliction on thee? it may be he hath some mighty work of his grace to work in thee, or some great work of mercy to bewroght by thee in his church, and hereby prepareth thee for the same. Say therefore with the holy Prophet; I held my tongue ô Lord, and spake nothing, because it was thy doing: and what God may intend in his so doing to thee, thou canst not tell: and therefore in silence, and patience possess thy soul.

Again, here is a comfort to all such as are distressed in mind, in sense of their sins, and sight of God's wrath: their state is not miserable, much less desperate, for they are in the high way to grace and favor. God justifieth not, but him that repents: God exalts not, but him that is humbled: God comforts not, but him that is distressed: God hath mercy on none, but such as both known and feel they want it: and know also, that they know not where to have it, but at his hands. Happy therefore is that soul, that feels the weight and burden of sin, for to him will Christ bring most ease and comfort. God's Ministers therefore are hereby to comfort distressed consciences, to assure them, that if with this Prophet they be so deeply touched with sight of their sins, and God's justice, as that they cry, Woe is me, I am undone. Then, evē Then, are they most capable of comfort, and best prepared to receive it, as here it sell out to the holy Prophet. Thirdly, here is the way taught us how to attain to any excellent graces of God, either for our own salvation, or the good of the Church, namely to labor for a sensible feeling of the want of them in our selves: for God useth to bestow no gifts on any man, but such as do in humility & low-linesse, confess to God, & acknowledge in themselves, the want of them. So the blessed Virgin singeth, God filleth the hungry with good things, but the rich he sends empty away: And so the Psalmist, God satisfieth the hungry soul, and filleth the empty soul with goodness. So then if thou be rich in thy conceits, God hath not for thee: but if thou be hungry, he is ready to fill thee with good things: and dost thou acknowledge thy soul empty, then behold treasures of goodness, to feed and fill thee: and art thou cast down with the Prophet, and is thy soul empty of hope, and fraught with fear, then behold, even then, God and his Angels ready to raise thee up, & to fill thee with consolation. Thus much for the time of his consolation: the minister, by whom was,

One of the Seraphims.

The 2. circumstance of his consolation is the Minister by whom it was done: An angel. One of the Seraphims: that is, an Angel of that order so called: out of which we learn;

First, that there are diverse degrees and several orders of Angels, though we know not the true distinction thereof: nor think it lawful to imagine them to be 9. nor to set them down particularly, as the Church of Rome doth, who make many of their own devises, which they cal traditions, of equal authority with the scriptures. Secondly, that these holy Angels are the glorious guard of God, and do continually stand about the throne of his glory, & attend his holy will, both in heaven and in earth.

Thirdly, that they are also by the merciful appointment of God, the guard of God's children, and ministering spirits sent out, as it were with a commission, for the good of the elect. All these points, because they are plain in the scripture, and do less concern our general scope, which is touching the Ministry, I pass them over.

Fourthly, here it is apparent, that as the Ange's are sent out for the help & service of the elect: so especially of God's ministers, as is plain in this place, where the Prophet being affrighted, a holy Angel is ready to give him comfort: and so over the whole course of the Prophets: and at this day, their protection, and comfortable assistance, is no less present to the godly Ministers of the new Testament, though not in such sensible signs, and such visible manner, as in the old: for if they be ministering spirits, sent out for the good of them which shall be saved, howe much more for their good, which shall be both saved themselves, and save others also.

A doctrine of great comfort, and much good use to all Ministers: who first of all may here learn contentment intheir calling: for howsoever no calling hath more crosses, so none again hath more comfort: and howsoever none be more disgraced by euillmen, yet none is more honored by the holy Angels: and howsoever in this world they above any calling, are servants to all men, yet none hath the service & attendance of Angels so much as they: for though we have them not to help us to do the outward actions of our ministry with us, or for us, (as some popish Doctors teach, that in their Mass, A men is not said to one 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 collect, because the Angels say A men to it) yet doubtless they are present always, as at all holy exercises and lawful actions, so especially at the public service of God, performed by the Ministers: and beside that, they are witnesses thereto, and of the pains, and diligence, and faithfulness of a good Minister, they also do Minister unto them oftentimes, bodily strength, and assistance, & many comforts: in their troublesome travels, which they know not how by any natural means they come unto them. And as this Doctrine doth thus yield them contentment against the contempt, so also courage against the danger of this calling. For what though thou hast mighty men of this world against thee, when thou hast angels for thee? & what though thou fightest against principalities and powers, when thou hast Cherubims, and Seraphims on thy side? Godly Ministers have many enemies, but if by the eye of faith, they can see as well who are with them, as with the eye of reason who are against them, they will confess with Elisha, there are more with us, then against us. The stories of all ages do affirm, and the comfortable experience of these days of ours doth verify the truth hereof. Ministers that live in places very profane, or very popish, it is admirable to see how many dangers they have escaped, and plots they have avoided, which by their enemies, (or rather the enemies of their Doctrine) have bone laid for their lives: which their deliverance, and many other comforts in their Ministries, whence are they but from God's protection, by the ministry of his Angels.

Afore we leave this point, two questions may be asked, not amiss briefly to be resolved.

First if any ask, whence comes it that Angels perform more service to good Mlnisters then to other men: I answer, the reason is partly from God, partly from the Angels: first God hath a principal care of them above other men, because they work his work above all other callings: for their labors immediately concern the good of men's souls: whereas others do first concern the body, and consequently the soul: therefore, whereas he hath given his Angels charge over all his elect, to keep them in all their good ways, they have a special charge doubtless over all godly and faithful Ministers, whose ways are God's in a special manner.

Again, Angels themselves as they willingly perform any service to the Church, or to any part thereof, so most willingly of all are they employed for the good of godly Ministers, and that for two causes.

First, because they are their fellow-laborers, both for that y ^t Angels & good Ministers are both called God's ambassadors, & God's own servants or officers, in a more peculiar manner then any other calling: & for that their service is so like, that their names are common, one to the other. Angels being called Ministers, and Ministers Angels, as though they were almost all one.

Secondly, because the Ministers duty is, to convert & save souls, being a work which (next to the glorifying of God, and doings his will) the Angels do take most delight in above any other: for if they be sent out for the good of them which shall be saved, how much more willingly for their good, by whom they are saved, which shall be saved? & if the Angels rejoice at the conversion of a sinner▪ surely they much love him, & desire to do him good, by whom the sinner is converted: and in these respects, that Angels and Ministers have the same names: and are both employed in the same great work; namely, doing good to the elect.

Therefore is it, that the Angel calls himself S. John the Evangelists fellow in the Revelation: If then they be fellows, evē fellow-servants, & fellow-laborers, in a more special manner then any other, what marvel though the angels be most willingly employed, in doing any service of help or comfort to godly Ministers.

In the second place, If any ask, if it be so, then what duties are Ministers to perform to angels, for this their so careful service, & especial attendance upon them, above other men?

A Papast would answer; Ministers must therefore worship them, and keep their fasting, & Holy-days, and say their service, and pray unto them, as to their keepers and Mediators. But alas, cannot the Kings Messenger or Officer be honored, unless he be set upon the Kings throne? will nothing serve him, but the Crown and Scepter? so cannot Angels be honored, unless they be made God's, or Saviors, or mediators? But I answer therefore, we dare not go so far, least we remember the servant so much, that we forget the master: but rather we answer thus: seeing angels are thus serviceable to God's ministers, it should first of all, teach all men to honor that calling, with all due reverence: For they cannot but please the angels, in honoring good Ministers, whom they esteem their fellows.

Secondly, it should teach all Ministers, not to content themselves with the name and title, but to labor to be good and faithful. For so doing, they are fellows to the Angels, and it is a disgrace to the Angels, when those that are their fellows are unfaithful.

And it should further teach them, to adorn their Calling with a holy life, for as sin is that, that grieves the angels, & drives them away, so it is grace and holiness, which makes them delight in the fellowship of men.

And it may also encourage any man, to take pains in that holy Calling, wherein he is sure to have God's angels, in a special manner to attend him, to assist him, to protect him, and to be a witness of his faithfulness: and who would not work cheerfully in that labor, wherein he hath the Angels to be in a sort fellow-workers with him?

To do these three duties, is to honor good angels: and that Minister that conscionably performeth them, the angels will take themselves sufficiently honored of that man.

And if beside this honor, we would rejoice God's angels, and minister matter of joy unto them, then in the fourth place, let all Ministers propound to themselves above all things, the conversion of souls, rather then their own praise, or living, or pleasing of men, and so endeavor it both in teaching, and all their other courses, that the angels may see it, and be witness of it: for if they rejoice at the conversion of a sinner, (as Christ saith they do, then those men make them oftest rejoice, which do most seriously aim at the conversion of sinners.

And thus we see, both the service of angels to God's Ministers, and the duties they are to perform to them in that regard. The due consideration of this point, may raise the world to a better conceit of this Calling, and persuade fathers to dedicate their sons to it, and stir up young students to consecrate themseluest hereto, & turn their studies to that ende: for no man in no calling hath so special attendance, and assistance of God's angels, as godly Ministers have: At least, if it work not this in the world, yet it may yield comfort & contentment to all faithful Ministers in their painful calling.

But let us see how the angel performed his service to the Prophet: not unwillingly, not lingeringly, but speedily: so saith the Text.

He flewe.

Which is not so to be understood, as though the angels had wings: for they have no corporal nor sensible bodies, but spiritual and insensible substances, the actions whereof are performed with such nimbleness and agility, as cannot fall within the compass of outward sense. But the Phrase is used for our capacities, to show how readily and speedily the angel went about to minister comfort to the Prophet. For as nothing moveth so quickly to our sense, as doth the creature that flieth: and as we say, that man doth fly about his business, which doth it quickly and diligently: so here the holy Ghost sets down the willingness and quickness of the angel, to comfort this holy Prophet, and to do the will of God. Where we learn;

First, what excellent servants of God the holy angels be, which so readily, willingly, and speedily execute the will of their Lord. This must teach all gods servants to do the like, and to imitate thē in this excellent obedience: And the rather, because we pray daily to God; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven. In earth of us, as it is in heaven of the holy angels: But they do it most cheerfully, and without all lingering, therefore so ought we. Magistrates in their places, and Ministers in theirs, and every man in his function, is to apply this to himself, and to be stirred up thereby to a cheerfulness & quickness in their duties: for therein they resemble the blessed angels, & then their deodes accord wity their prayer: but contrariwise, he that doth his duty unwillingly, and vnreadly, is like the Devil; which indeed doth God's will, & yet against his will. and surely unto such obedience there belongeth no reward. But as God loveth a cheerful giver, so doubtless loves he a cheerful worker.

Secondly, we see here how great love angels bear unto God's children, especially unto godly Ministers, how willingly they are employed to do them good. Willingnesse and readiness to do good to any man, must needs come from love: and yet alas all men, even the best, and all Ministers, even the best, are creatures far inferior to the angels.

Here Magistrates & Ministers, must learn to be far from contempt of their inferiors: and to do their duties of ruling and teaching carefully, though the people be far their infriors: it is the nature of love, to make any man do service most willingly, to him that he loves, though he be far meaner then himself.

If therefore Princes love their subjects, they will not spare any care, cost, nor pains, nay they will rejoice to do them good, and they will labor to be like the angels, who are far greater then men, as they are then their subjects.

And if Ministers love their people, they will forget their own dignity, which ofttimes they might stand upon, and will make themselves even servants to all, that they may win some.

And seeing angels do fly so fast to give help and comfort to good Ministers: this must teach them further.

First, everyone to labor to be a good Minister, for then are they sure of the love of angels, and then most willingly do the angels any service to them. Again, let it teach them to fly as fast to the discharge of their duties to God's Church, as the angels fly to do them service, so shall God angels think their diligence and careful service well bestowed upon them.

Lastly, this diligence of the angels, & their willingness, proceeding from love, must stir up all Christians, to perform all duties of godliness to God, & of love unto his Church, with alacrity and cheerfulness. So do God's angels; we look to be like the angels in glory, in the world to come: then be like the angels in diligence, love and faithfulness in this world. The Wise man saith, He that is slothful in his business is good for nothing: but the diligent man shall stand before the King. And surely, he that is willing & diligent in the duties of Christianity, shall stand before the King of kings in heaven. And let this suffice for the Angels service, and his diligence in his service. Now let us see what instrument the Angel used.

A coal from the Altar.

The fourth Circumstance of this consolation, is the Instrument which it pleased God, the angel should use to minister comfort to the Prophet, a strange instrument for so great a work: A coal of fire. Here let human reason hide it self, and worldly wisdom be confounded, to see the wonderful works of the Lord: God could have healed the Prophets infirmities, and given him comfort against his fear & courage in his calling, without means, but he will use means: and what? a weak means: nay, a means that seems contrary: A coal of fire must touch his lips: that which in all reason would have made him speak worse, by God's appointment and the power of his word, shall make him speak better. Out of which practice of God, we learn many points.

First, see how GOD magnifieth means: he can work without them, and so he did in the Creation, giving light to the world, diverse days before there was Sun: but since the order of nature was established, he generally useth means, not only in his ordinary, but even in his miraculous actions: and though he use not always the ordinary and direct means: yet means he generally useth, though they seem contrary: as here in this place; and the same will be found true in almost all the miracles, both of the Old and New Testament.

This therefore commends unto all men, the use of such good means, as God's providence hath ordained of any duties, or effecting of anything, that doth belong unto us to do: and not to depend upon immediate helps from Heaven, as many fond and fantastical men do, who are therefore oftentimes justly forsaken of God, and left destitute of all help; and so exposed to shame and reproach.

Secondly, see here the mighty power of God's ordinance, how it appeareth in weakness: such are all his great works. In the Creation, he brought light out of darkness. In our Redemption, he brought us life out of death. In our conversions, he works upon us by his word, & by it he draws us to him, which in all reason would drive us from him: and by it confounds the wisdom of the world, which is stark foolishness to the wisdom of the world.

And so here, he cleanseth the Prophet by a Coale of fire: which would rather defile him, and seasoneth his mouth with it, which in reason should have burned him: so great, so admirable, and so powerful are the ordinances of God, though they seem so contrary, or so weak in themselves, or in their means.

Let this teach all men not to contemn the Sacraments, though the outward Elements, Bread, Wine, and Water, be weak and common, and dead creatures in themselves: nor the Ministry of the Word, though it be exercised by a weak man, mortal & miserable as others are: for that God, which can season the Prophets mouth, and cleanse his heart by a coal of fire, no marvel though he work upon the consciences of men, by his word and Sacraments.

And again, when we see Grace and Holiness conveyed into men's hearts by the Word and Sacraments; let us learn, not to ascribe it to the dignity, either of the Minister, or the Elements, but to the supreme power of the mighty God, who can purge the Prophet, by a coal from the altar.

Neither is it altogether without Mystery, that God here sanctifieth the prophet, by touching his lips with a fiery coal: for it signifieth, that the apt & sufficient teacher, must have a fiery tongue, and to that same purpose, the holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles in fiery toongs, & it may be that the one is a tipe of the other. Certain it is, that they both teach us thus much, that all true and able Ministers, must pray and endeavor to have a tongue full of power and force, even like fire, to eat up the sins and corruptions of the world. For though it be a worthy gift of God to speak mildly, and moderately, so that his speech shall fall like deawe upon the grass: yet it is the firerie tongue that beats down sin, and works sound grace in the heart: It may be there are some, which need the fiery tongue.

This shows apparently, that those Ministers never had their lips touched with a coal frō God's altar: that is, their souls with a coal from God's altar: that is, their consciences never touched, nor their souls seasoned with the sanctifying grace of God's spirit, which sit still and see great and grievous stains in a Church, and corruptions in a State, and can be content never to reprove them, as though Ministers were persuaders only, and not reprouers.

But when this comes to be weighed in the balance of a good conscience, it will be found, that not the pleasing tongue, but the fiery tongue, is the principal grace of a good Minister.

But to go further: whence came this Coale?

Taken from the Altar.

This coal of fire was taken by the angel from the altar of God, where was a fire which never went out, and this fire was that, that came from heaven: sent down by God at the dedication of the Temple by Solomon. And this fire kindled by God never went out: for no man could kindle the like, but all other was counted strange fire; As Nadab and Abihu, tried in woeful experience, when they would needs offer with in.

Now the Prophet must be cleansed with the fire which came from Heaven: teaching us, that the Minister must have his fiery tongue frō the holy Ghost. As the Apostles were said to be baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire: A fiery tongue, is a special ornament of a Minister, but that fire must come from heaven: that is, his zeal must be a godly and heavenly zeal; but he that hath a railing, lying, a slanderous, a malicious, or a contentious tongue, he hath a fiery tongue indeed. But this is kindled of the sire of hell, as S. James saith; The unbridled tongue is a world of wickedness, and defileth the whole body, setteth on fire the whole course of nature, and is set on fire in hell.

So then, a spiteful and malicious tongue we see, is a fiery tongue, but that fire is taken from hell, and not from God's altar.

And he that stands up to preach with this tongue, God will never suffer any great work to be done by him in his Church, though his tongue be never so fiery, and his speech never so powerful.

As therefore Ministers must abhor the flattering and pleasing tongue, and must have a fiery tongue: so on the other side, this fire must be from God's altar: that is, the fire of their zeal must be kindled by God's spirit, and not by the spirit of discord and dissention. Ambitious humors, turbulent & proud humors, new opinions, private quarrels, all these, nor none of these, are for the pulpit.

These may make a man fiery tongued, but this fire, was never taken from God's altar, as the Prophets was: this fiery tongue never came from heaven, as the Apostles did. It followeth.

And touched my lips.

This fifth and last circumstance, is the Application of the remedy. The coal which is the medicine, is applied by this Angel to his lips, that is, to that part which was polluted: and as he formerly complained of the pollution of his lips, so the medicine is applied to his lips: Here the Angel, which in this case is made GOD'S minister, doth teach all God's Ministers, a great point of wisdom, in heavenly Divinity, namely, to apply their Doctrine to their audience, in such manner, as the circumstances of place, times, or persons do require: some Ministers come to an ignorant and vnhumbled people, and teach them the Gospel, which never knew the law: here the firy coal is used, but the lips are not touched, that is, good doctrine taught, but not well applied: for that the law should first be laid to their consciences, others beat all upon the Law, when it may be their hearers are a people sufficiently cast down, and have more need to be raised up with the sweet comforts of the Gospel: others use to lay open the nakedness of the Court in the country, and to reprove the faults of Princes and great magistrates before the common people, who have more need of the Catechism: others bring the Catechism or points of ordinary instruction into the Court, where the duties of Kings and councellors should be taught in all plainness and sincerity: others bring their new opinions or controuersall points unto popular audiences, which indeed are fit for the schools: other busy themselves about ceremonies, when the substance is in danger to be lost: All these (have it may be) the Coale of fire, but it is misapplied, and not applied to the polluted lips. Let all ministers therefore learn this point of wisdom of the Angel, to apply the medicines of their doctrine to the times, persons, and places, which are infected, so shall they be sure not to take pains in vain.

And thus much of the circumstances of his consolation.

It followeth in the text.

Loe thy iniquity shall be taken away, and thy sins shall be purged.

After the Circumstances, followeth the ground and matter of his consolation, and that is the forgiveness of his sins; where first let us mark how it and the instrument are annexed together: Loe saith the Angel, this Coale ha • h touched tay lips, and thy Iniquities shall be forgiven, and thy sins purged: as though he had been cleansed by the Coale: where we may note, how greatly God magnifieth the means which himself ordaineth, even true remission and salvation to the right and holy using of them, though it come not from them, but from his own mercy, and power of his ordinance. It is therefore no marvel though God sanctifieth the child by the Ministry of water in Baptism, and feed our souls in the Lord's Supper, by feeding our bodies with bread and wine: and no marvel though the careless neglect of either of them, be damnation to him that despiseth them: seeing they are God's instruments, ordained by him to convey his grace unto us: And yet for all this, we are to know, that remission or salvation, is no more tied to the very elements, or the actions, then here the Prophets forgiveness is to the Coale of fire.

But the main point is, that for the Prophets consolation, the Angel tells him his iniquities shall be taken away, and his sins purged, as thereby he had said thy sins were the cause of thy fear, therefore that thy fear may be taken away, thy sins shall be forgiven.

Where we learn, that as few comes by sin, so all true comfort comes from the forgiveness of sins: this is that, that only pacifieth the conscience, and satisfieth the soul: when David had sinned against the Lord in his two great sins, and thereby provoked God's wrath against him, and wounded his own conscience, if the Prophet had told him he had made him King of 10 kingdoms more, he had not so rejoiced his heart, as when he told him, after his repentance, thy sins are forgiven thee, thou shalt not die: So when this Prophet was extremely affrighted at God's presence, because of some sins and negligences in his calling it had been no comfort to his poor soul, to have been told, thou shalt have a more eloquent tongue, and a more powerful speech, thou shalt have better access to the Court & audience before the King: all these, and all such like, would have been no better then guided poison unto him, being in this case: but the happy answer that refresheth his weary soul more then all the world, was this, Loe thy iniquities are forgiven and thy sins purged.

All faithful Ministers must here learn the true way of comforting troubled and distressed consciences, namely, first to draw him unto a sight of some particular sins, then to summon him into God's presence, and there to arraign him for those sins, until the view of the foulness of his sins, and the glory of God's justice, have sufficiently humbled him, and then to labor to persuade his conscience upon good grounds of the pardon of those sins by Christ Jesus, this is the way that God used and devised, this is the sure way, that cannot fail.

Some think that all trouble of mind is nothing but melancholy and therefore think nothing needs but Physic and outward comforts: but he that considers in what case the Prophet here was, or David when he made the 6. the 32. or the 51. Psalms, will be of another mind, and will find that nothing can properly trouble the mind but sin: therefore as the wise Physician in his cure first searcheth out the cause, and then endeavours to take it away: so the good Physician of the soul, must first of all search into the cause of his sickness, that is his sins, and must take them away: which if they do not, then all their labor is lost: for all the company, music, recreation, wine, diet, nay all worldly comforts & delights, if it were the advancement to a kingdom, cannot so much comfort the distressed soul of a sinner, as this voice of a minister spoken from God upon good grounds; Thy sins are forgiven thee. Now to lay down what be those true and good grounds, whereupon a Minister may safely and comfortably pronounce pardon of sins to a sinner, belongs properly to another place.

In the next place; Let us here observe how the Lord afore he renewed the Prophets commission, or send him to preach to the people, first humbles him for his sins, and then upon his repentance, gives him pardon: teaching us, that no Minister is well qualified to the holy duties of the Ministry, unless he have truly repented of his sins, and have obtained pardon and mercy in the Messias.

Ministers labor for qualifications, but the true Minister of God will labor for this qualification above all other: for doubtless he shall pronounce most powerfully the pardon of sins to others, to whose conscience God hath pronounced pardon of his own.

In the last place, let us observe how the Prophet being to be comforted before he go this new embassage, the Lord is so careful for him, that rather then he be not comforted (if there be no man to do it), An Angel shall be sent to be his comforter, & (if there be not another Prophet to do it) An Angel shall pronounce unto him the pardon of his sins.

Let this be an encouragement for all Pastors and Ministers of God's Church, to labor painfully & faithfully in their places, for the goodness of the Lord will never fail them, nor shall they want comfort, when ever they stand in need thereof. Yea rather shall Angels from heaven be their helps and comforters, then faithful Ministers shall be left destitute.

Hitherto of the second general points: namely, of the Prophets consolation.

The third and last general point is, the renouatiou of the Prophets commission, in the eight, & part of the ninth verses, and it containeth 3. parts, 1. A question or inquiry made by God; When shall I send, and who shall go for us?

2 The answer of the Prophet: Here am I, send me.

3 The commission renewed unto him: The Lord said, Go and speak unto this people.

The first part, is a question made by God, by way of proclamation, wherein he inquireth who shall go preach unto this people.

Also, I heard the voice of the Lord saying, whom shall I send? and who shall gae for us?

In which Proclamation, and inquiry of the Lord, we are not to imagine that the Lord, was either unprovided of such as should execute his will, or knew not who were able, or who were willing to go preach his word: For as the Apostle saith, in the matter of Election; The Lord knoweth whr are his: so much more in particular vocations. The Lord knoweth who are his, and need not to ask whom shall I send, or who shall go? But then it may be demanded, why the Lord saith so? I answer, not for his own sake, but for ours: whom hereby he would instruct, in diverse points of holy doctrine.

First, hereby he would give us to understand, how hard a thing it is, to find an able and godly Minister, for if there were not a great scarcity of such men, the Lord needed not ask this question. But some will object against this, that there are in many Christian Churches so many Ministers, as they cannot all be maintained, but some go up and down vndisposed, and unprovided for. I answer, this is too true in all ages: there were Wandering Levites in the Olde Testament, which went up and down and offered their service, and served for 10. shekels of silver, and a suit of apparel, and meat and drink: but this calamity was upon the Church of the Jews, (never but then,) when there was no King in Israel, and everyone did that which was good in his own eyes. If therefore there be any in our Church, and in Christian nations, which go up and down, and offer their service at such rates, it is much more miserable, seeing now there are kings in Israel: and therefore it is no reason that every man rob the Church, as it shall please his covetous mind. But ceasing to inquire whether this be so or no: and if it be so, leaving the reformation thereof to those Churches and States whom it may concern: I answer, for the matter in hand, that this may be so, and yet the Lord may complain as here he doth; Whom shall I send? for the Lord mean • h not such as bear the name of Levites or Priests in the old, or of Ministers in the New Testament (for there were always inow of them: who, some for preferment sake, some for their ease, and some for a refuge how to live; are willing to enter that function, and accordingly in that calling, seee not the Lord, but themselves, and their own ends).

But here the Lord inquireth for such men, as first, purely do seek and undertake that function, therein to honor God, and to gather his Church, and then in all their labors and ministerial duties, truly and faithfully endeavor to the same ends; Preaching God's word, and as God's word, diligently reproving, exhorting, and admonishing, and shining before their people in good works: for such men, it is no marvel though the Lord light a Candle at No one day, and make open Proclamation to seek for them, saying; Whom shall I send? for, such a man is as Job saith, One of a thousand: for some wat ability to discharge their duties, as S. Paul saith, Who are sufficient for those things? And some want willingness to undertake the labor, as God here complaineth; Who shall go for us? Now to make use of this doctrine to our Church.

It were to be wished, that in these days, & for our Christian Churches, the Lord had not as great cause to cry out in the want of able, faithful, and godly Ministers, Whom shall I send, and who shall go for us? But alas, this want is too apparent, and this blemish is too notorious, and it is a work worthy the labor of kings and princes to reform it: and is a kings evil; not to be healed but by the power of a King: for as long as there are so few and mean preferments for painful Ministers, there will never want abundance of such Ministers as do want either conscience or ability to discharge their duties.

In the mean time, till God put into the hearts of Parliaments, and Princes, to lock to this great and needful work; let us Ministers learn our duties: and first, we who are in the Universities, are here admonished to look to our selves. By God's blessing we are many, and daily grow more and more: let us therefore so furnish our selves, as that when God or his Church shall say, Who shall go for us, and whom shall I send? then he may find many amongst us, whō he may send to that great work of the Minisierie: & let us fear to be such, as thar God may affirm of us, as in the days of Job, that he cannot find one of a thousand.

Secondly, all Ministers learn here, not to content themselves with the name and title of Ministers, but labor for the substantial ornaments thereof, nor to be willing to take the honor and livings, and to refuse the burden and duties of the Ministry.

For else let them know, God hath no need of them: for had the Lord pleased or contented himself with such kind of men, as seek to be Ministers for themselves, and not for his sake: or being Ministers, do feed themselves, and not their flock: or Preach themselves, and not Christ: then had he not needed to have made this Proclamation, for Ages have yielded store of such. But contrariwise, he that is painful and faithful in this function, let him know, that God and his Church hath need of him.

Lastly, here the Romish Clergy are justly to be taxed, whose number is infinite: but it is lamentable to see howe few among them be such as the Lord here seeketh for. Their Orders of Regulars are exceeding many, beside all their Secular Priests, and it is almost incredible, how many thousands there be of Dominicans or Franciscans, or in someone of their orders: and yet amongst the many millions of their Monks, there is scarce to be found one of many, who for his learning & other gifts, is fit to be sent to the work of God: nay, their ignorance was palpable and ridiculous to the world, until of late being by Luther, and others of our Church, made ashamed thereof, they have labored (especially the Jesuits) to become learned. How foul a thing is it that amongst so many, the Lord should have cause to complain; Whom shall we send? The Jesuits indeed, many of them are learned, but for other qualities, they are fitter to be plotters, & practicers in Statematters, Spies or Intelligencers, reconcilers, seducers, and subuerters, then Ministers: and fitter to be instruments of policy to evil kings, then Ministers of the Gospel unto God. But take away them, and some few selected Monks (and those but few out of many thousands) & then even for learning also God may cry, and call & proclaim in their Monasteries; whom shall I send? And if it be a shame and misery to a Church to want such as God may send, or to have but a few, then the Romish Church is shameless, which shames not to have so many, and yet amongst them all, whom God may send, almost none.

In the next place. By this inquiry, and question made by God, whom shall I send, and who shall go for us? The Lord would teach us, that no man is to undertake this function, unless God call and send him: therefore here are condemned, the profane fancies of the Anabaptists, and all like them, who think that any man upon a private motion, may step forth and undertake the duties of a Prophet, to preach and expound, &c. Oh, but say they, these motions are from God's spirit: surely they can say little for themselves, who cannot say so much: but that cannot serve their turn: for if we say, contrariwise nay, but they are from the devil, or at the least from your own vanity and pride, how can they disprove it? Again, might not the Prophet have alleged that with a better pretence and color then they? yet he stayeth till God here call him: even so all good Ministers are to stay God's calling.

If any ask, how he shall know when God's calls him? I answer, God calleth ordinarily by his Church, her voice is his: therefore whensoever the Church of God, saith unto thee, thou shalt be sent, and •• ou shalt go for us, even then doth the Lord call us out to this holy function.

Thirdly, let us observe how the Lord saith: Who shall (I) send? & who shall go for (us)? Some Interpreters gather out of this Chapter, an Argument for the trinity of persons; as namely, out of the 3. Verse, where the Angels sing; Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God, &c. But it is not sound enough to overthrow our stubborn enemies the Jews and therefore it seems those Divines are of a sounder and wiser judgment: who seeing we have other places pregnant and plain enough, therefore think it no good discretiō to urge this or any such place which may probably admit another Interpretation, least that the Jews finding the weakness of the Argument, do judge all our proofs to be as weak, and so take occasion to persist the rather in their blindness, by that which we brought to have converted them. And as for that song of the angels in the third Verse, where they ascribe holiness to the Lord 3. times: that thei • repetition signifieth nothing else, but the continual joy and delight which the holy Angels take in praising of God, who cannot satisfy thenselves in honoring his name: teaching us in their example, never to be weary of praising God by prayers and holy hymns, and of honoring him in our lives and callings.

But to prove out of the words; Holy, Holy, Holy, the three Persons in Trinity, seems to be no fit nor sound collection. Rather in my opinion, we may safely collect and conclude out of these words (I and us) that there are more persons in the Trinity then one: for first, God the Father, or the whole Deity saith: Whom shall I send? and then changing the number, he saith: Who shall go for v • ? For howsoever God may employ in the word Vs, that he that is sent to preach, is sent as well for the good of the Church, as for his own glory, yet can it not be denied, but that the plural number here, and else where, ascribed to the Deity, must needs argue a certain plurality of persons in that Deity: as in Genesis it is written, that God said, Let us make man: and here, Who shall go for us?

Out of the evidence of which places, seeing the enemies of this Doctrine must needs grant a plurality, namely, that there are more then one: then we shall sufficiently prove out of other places, and by other argnments, that there are three.

In the last place, let us mark what 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 God saith: Whom shall I send, & who shall go for us? God sends a minister to preach and he goeth for God. Then behold here, what is the trade and profession of a minister, he is the servant of God. So saith God here, he goeth for me: and so saith the Apostle of himself & all other good ministers, that they are God's Laborers.

And in another place, the Angel of God appeared, Whose I am, and whom I serve. But if any man think that either God speaketh too favorably of them, or S. Paul too partially of themselves, then let the Devil himself be judge in this case, who plainly & freely confesseth) though he did it not in love to the truth or them). These men are the servants of the most high God, which teach unto us the way of salvation. Let therefore either God be believed, who is for them, or the devil who is against them. But what kind of servants are they? what place or office have they? They are his Messengers or Ambassadors, this is their profession, and their place.

Now then for the use hereof,

If they be God's servants, then are they not their own Masters, they have a Master, even God, whose they are, and for whom, and from whom they come: they may not therefore please thenselves, nor serve their own pleasures, nor seek the satisfying of their own carnal lusts, either in matter of pleasure, credit, or profit: if they do, then will he call thē to a heavy account, whose servants they are.

Again, if they be God's servants, then let them do their service to God, and expect their reward from God: some Ministers will expect the reward, and honor of God's servants, but will do no service: that beseems not servants: let such men remember for whom they come, even from that God, who as he can give reward, so he will expect service.

And as for such men as painfully do their service, but are not regarded, nor rewarded of men as they deserve, let them be content & continue in their faithfulness, for they are God's Ambassadors: & we know Ambassadors may have gifts given them, of those to whom they are sent: but they expect their maintenance from the kings their own Masters: So the maintenance which the world should give Ministers, is like gifts given to Ambassadors: if it come, it is no more then they deserve. If it come not, yet will faithful Ministers do their duty, and expect their payment from their king and Master God, whose they are, and whom they serve.

Thirdly, if they be God's Ambassadors, sent by him, and come from and for him, then let all such as either condemn, or any way injury them, be assured, that as God is mighty & powerful, so he will mightily revenge it.

There was never King so poor or weak, but thought himself strong enough to revenge any wrong offered to his Embassador. And shall God suffer so foul a wickedness to lie unpunished? Nay, they and their posterities shall smart for it: let Ahab, and Jezebel, and Julian, say it be not so: and all ages or stories, show the contrary if they can, that ever any contemner and abuser of godly Ministers, escaped the visible vengeance of God's revenging hands on him or his.

Fourthly, seeing they are God's Messengers & servants, they must not be the servants of men, to please, or flatter, or satisfy humors, this is not for them that are God's servants: they therefore that will be slaves to the persons, and pleasures, and humors of men, they forget that they are God's servants, and came for him: yea, they must not endeavor the pleasing of themselves, nor the bringing of their own purposes to pass, but in every motion, either made to them by others, or suggested from their own hearts, they must forth-with call to mind, Who sent me hither, & for whom am I come? Even from & for God: therefore they are to yield to nothing, nor aim at anything, but which may be both to the will, and for the glory of him that sent them.

And if the great men of this world, do think it wrong that any man should command their servant against their will, or expect any service from them against their own honor: then let them think it reason that God's Ministers should not be commanded anything contrary to God's will, or against his honor.

And further, if Ministers be God's servants, then let them regard their masters glory, and be ashamed to do anything, either in their doctrine or lives, which may dishonor him: that servant is unworthy of a good master, who seeks not his masters credit in all his courses.

Lastly, if they be God's ambassadors, then must they not deliver their own fancies, or inventions, but that message they received: And as they received it, so must they deliver it. And if they do their duties faithfully, this doctrine is comfortable to them, they may take pains, with joy they have a master will reward them: they may speak freely, (so it be with discretion) they have a master will make it good: they may stand boldly in the face of their enemies, they have a master will defend them. And every faithful Minister may say to himself, I will do my duty, and deliver my Embassage. He whom I serve▪ and whose I am He who sent me and for whom I come, will bear me out. And thus much of the inquiry which God makes, and the manner of it.

Now let us see the answer which the Prophet makes, in these words.

Then I said, Here am I: send me.

The Prophet after he was comforted by God, and had his sins forgiven, then answereth; Here am I, send me. First, mark here, what a great change is wrought on the sudden: he who a little afore, feared and shrunk at the least appearance of God's glory: now stands forth boldly, as soon as he is called, and answereth: Here am I, send me. So great a matter is it for a minister to have his sins forgiven, and to feel the favor of God to his soul and conscience. Here therefore we have an answer to two great Questions, often moved in the world.

First, many would have quietness of mind, and peace of conscience, and cannot attain unto it; If they ask how they might, to them I answer; Here is the way, seek it not in worldly wealth, carnal pleasures, nor human learning, in company nor recreations: but seek it in the favor of God, and pardon of thy sins, and thou shalt not miss of it. Thus shalt thou have comfort in thy own conscience, courage before men, and boldness toward God.

Secondly, many Students in Divinity, would gladly be Ministers and do much honor to the Calling: but they find a fear and shrinking in themselves, and thereby an unwillingness to venter upon it. If they ask, how they may amend this: I answer, or rather the example of his Prophet answereth for me); Let that man set himself in God's presence, enter into himself, search his conscience, find out his sins, confess and bewail them to God, crave pardon in Christ's blood, & grace to leave them, & cease not till he hear the voice of God's spirit sounding in his conscience: Thy sins are forgiven thee. Then when God shall ask whom shall I send, thou wilt answer readily, and with joy, Here am I, send me.

And again, many are driven from this calling, to behold the contempt and reproach, and dangers which belong unto it. But let those men mark here the phrase of this holy Prophet, when God asked, Whom shall I send? He might have answered: Lord, I would go, but such disgraces and discouragements do accompany this Function, as I desire to be excused: but he casting aside all such conceits, answereth peremptorily, Here am I, send me. How came this to pass, for certainly the Prophet was as sensible of these wrongs as any of us all, for he was nobly borne and brought up, & was of the blood royal: surely, because he saw he was in God's favor, he had him and his Commission on his side, & he held this for a sure ground: If God be on my side, who can be against me?

Therefore doubtless, those men who are driven back by these discouragements, were never settled in assurance that their sins were forgiven: nor satisfied sufficiently, that God is on the side of all good Ministers, and that their Calling as it hath his authority from God, so likewise, allowance, blessing, assistance, and defense of God above any other calling: for if they were, they would scorn the scorn, and contemn the contempt of the profane world, and with much courage and comfort set their hand to God's Plough, and say with the Prophet; Here I am, send me.

Secondly, let us observe, how the Prophet when God asks the question, sends him not to others, nor commends others to that service, as is to be thought he might have done many in the Churches of the Jews, but offers himself, Here am I.

It controlles the carnal courses of many amongst us in the Universities, who think it sufficient to live there, and send out other men, and give testimonies and Letters of commendations to other men, but themselves stir not, when question is made; Who shall go to such a place? or who shall be sent to such a parish? they say not, Here am I, but either it is too little a living, or too great a charge, or ill seated, or some fault it hath, that they will not be sent to it: but will answer God and his Church, there is such a man, and give him Letters of testimony, or commendation, and so all is well: but for themslues, they live too sweet and easy lives, willingly to undertake the contempt and burden of the Ministry.

Let such men therefore learn, when God & his Church give them a calling, to answer with the Prophet: Here am I, send me.

And let all such as are Students of Divinity in the Universities, mark here the Prophets answer, not, I will be ready, but here I am: why takes he no longer time? because he was now sufficiently qualified. Where let them learn, not to linger and lie rotting too long in their specidatiue courses: but when they are competently furnished with learning, and other qualities befitting that calling: let them show themselves willing and ready to yield their service to the Church, when they shall be called. For as an Apple may as well hang too long on the tree, as be pulled too soon, and both make it unfit for use: so many men as well stay too long, as go out too soon: and both ways are made unprofitable, or at least less profitable in the Church.

And to conclude this second point; It is not unworthy to be noted, that the Prophet saith not, Here I am: and I run on my own head, but, Send me.

He willes the Lord to send him: then where are they who dare brag of their private motions, and will run when they are not sent?

The Prophet might have said: Oh, now I feel a motion from the Spirit, therefore I will go and preach: but he stayeth til he be sent in express terms: Let no man therefore presume to press into this function, till he be fully resolved in his conscience, that God and his Church hath said unto him, Go.

And though a man be never so well qualified with all manner of sufficiency, yet let him sit still and stay God's leisure, and let him say, Here I am, send me: and so rest contented until he be sent. If any man say it is unfit that a man should say so of himself, I answer, let him not say so in words, but in deeds: let him therefore make proof of himself, and give the Church trial of his gifts. Upon which experience of his gifts, if he be found sufficient, that practice of his is all one, and much more then if he had said, Here I am, send me.

Thus we see the Prophet would not stir til he were sent, and therefore in the next word he is bid to go.

And he said, Go and speak unto this people.

Here is the third and last point, Namely, the essential words of his Commission. Wherein, (after God had sought for one to go, and the Prophet had presented himself, and offered his service) God both gives him leave to go, and further doth furnish him with authority, both to go and speak.

Wherein the principal point is, that the authority of the Prophets calling, is 〈◊〉 from God him • else, in plain and e • ide at words; Go and speak: and till then the Prophet went not. So in the New Testament, the Apostles went not into the world to preach, till they had their Commission: Go and teach all Nations▪ And after them Saint Paul 〈◊〉 hot till it was said unto him, Ar • se and go.

In all which is discovered and condemned the pride and presumption of those who dare run on their own heads, and will not stay till the Lord say unto them: Go, and speak. These men are bolder, then either the extraordinary Prophets of the old Testament, or the Apostles, which are the extraordinary Ministers of the new: who always had their warrant with the when they went. And if any man ask why is it necessary they should have so; I answer, the reasons are many.

First, all Prophets and Ministers, are God's Deputies and Commissioners, it is therefore reason that they have authority from their Lord and Master.

Secondly, their words nor deeds bear no credit, nor have any power in them, unless they be spoken by virtue of a Commission: nor have their labors any blessing, unless God give it.

Thirdly, these persons have no protection, nor safety▪ unless they be God's Ambassadors: and how are they so, unless they be called and sent by God, and have authority given of God? For 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 these causes, no man is to thrust himself into the Ministry, without a calling from God, and therefore no marvel, though those men who will be Chusers, and Callers of themselves, and run when they are not sent, be in their persons, subject to all dangers: because they are out of God's protection, & their labors without profit, because no blessing, nor promise of God was givē unto them: for GOD may justly say unto them: Let him that sent you, protect your persons: let him that sent you, bless your labors.

But it will then be demanded, how may I know if God bid me go? for God speaks not now from heaven as in old time, and as to this Prophet: I answer, It is true, we are to look for no such visiions, nor apparitions from heaven, for ordinarily there are none such, and the Popish Church doth but deceive themselves, and cozen the world, who tell us of so many apparitions that happen to their Monks and Friars: for now ordinarily, God speaketh in another manner to his Church: for in General duties God speaketh to us out of his word and holy Scriptures, and in particular and personal duties, (where the word in plain terms serveth not) he speaketh to a man by his own conscience, and by the voice of his Church.

Out of his word, God showeth thee the dignity and excellency of this calling, to be a Minister of the word: Namely, they are his Messengers and Ambassadors, &c. that so he may win them to love and affect it. And again, the necessicitie of it, that it teacheth the way to salvation, that without it ordinarily God's Church is not gathered, nor men's souls saved, that this may stir thee up to undertake the burden: this is general. But now particularly for thyself, wouldest thou know whether GOD would have thee to go or no, then thou must ask thy own conscience, and ask the Church, for if thou be heartily willing, and be fully and worthity qualified, then God bids thee go. Now thy conscience must judge of thy willingness, and the Church of thy ability: and as thou may •• not trust other men, to judge of thy inclination or affection, so thou mayest not trust thy own judgment, to judge of thy worthiness or sufficience. If therefore thy own conscience tell thee upon true examination, that thou doest not love and affect this calling above any other, then God sends thee not: and if thou enter with such a testimony, not God, but some worldly and sinister respect doth send thee, and put thee forward: for though thou doest desire it, yet if the Church of God give not allowance of thy sufficiēcie, God doth not send thee: But if contrariwise, thy conscience do truly testify unto thee, that thou desirest to do service to God and his Church, in this calling above any other: And if withal, upon signification hereof to the Church, and upon trial made of thy gifts and learning, the Church (that is, maly learned, wise, and godly, and such as the Church hath publicly appointed for that purpose) do approve of that thy desire, and of thy sufficiency to do God service in his Ministry, and thereupon by a public Calling, bid thee go, then assuredly God himself hath bid thee go. And it is as effectual a calling, as if thou heardest the voice of God frō heaven: for as in Repentance, If thy conscience tell thee thou hast truly repented, and if thou canst make that known to the Church by so good evidence, as thereupon a Minister of God pronounceth the pardon of thy sins unto thee: If thou rest herein, and knowest it to be as effectual, as if God from heaven had told thee thy sins are pardoned. So is it here, if thou hast the testimony, first of thy conscience, and then of the Church, thou art to rest therein, as in the voice of God: And this is the calling that we are to look for in these days.

By which doctrine, as those are justly condemned of foul presumption, who dare run upon private motions, and carnal respects, and are justly left without blessing or protection: so they on the other side, do offer great wrong to God and to his Church, who when they cannot deny, but they affest the Ministry above any calling, and have approbation of their gifts from the Church of God, yet will not believe the Testimony of the Church herein, but their own private Iudgemēts, which in this case is no way a competent Judge, either for, or against. Let such men know, that they oppose themselves even against God himself: it being certain, that where the inward calling of the conscience, and the outward calling of the Church do concur, there God himselse calleth and biddeth that man, Go, and speak.

Now then (to draw to an ende) let us observe in the last place, with what authority a Minister of God comes unto us, and executes his Function: even with an immediate authority & Commission from God: whereby he is bid, Go, and speak. If it be so, let it persuade the world, to fear to do any wrong, either to that calling, or to those persons who come with so fair a commission from from God himself. But if it do not persuade the profane world, at least let this be a comfort & encouragement to all true Ministers, for if God bid them go, he will go with them himself: If he send them; he will not forsake them, but assist them, and bless them, and open their mouths, and enlarge their hearts, and harden their foreheads, and give power unto their words to conuer this children, & to confound and astonish the hearts of his enemies. If he send them, he will defend and protect them, so that one hair of their heads shall not fall to the earth, without his providence. If he send them, he will provide for them, and sufficiently reward them: and will honor them in the hearts of his own people, and magnify them in the faces of their enemies. And lastly, if he send them, he will pay them their wages, even an eternal weight of comfort here, and of glory in heaven. And as they are here bid go, so once they shul be bid Come: and that not only with the general call of all the Elect; Come ye blessed of my father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you. But even with that particular Call, which especially belongs to them that are faithful in this service: Come thou good and faithful servant, enter into thy Masters joy.

The second time newly pervsed and published with Marginall notes. Briefly laying down the matter and method.