* "a
r<<.»
^/ y .<
i^ r4lAAArv\
■\ 0<\/
DUKE
UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY
Treasure %oom
,//^ ,/. (j ^^Yi r/ f"^^^
^^y
JA.
^
/^J.
/^ n /v
^^^ // *> .
1
Gildas Sahianm ;
TbefirftPART: i.e. THE
REFORMED
Pastor.
Shewing the nature of the Paftoral work ^ Efpccially in Private Inflruvlion and Catechizing.
With an open Con fession of our too open Si n s .
Prepared for a day of Humiliation kept at Worcejler^ Decemb.^. 1 65 5 .by the Minifters of that County, who fubfcribed the Agree- ment for Catechizing and Perfonal Inlbu- dion, at their entrance upon that work.
By their unworthy fellow-fervant
'Richard ^Baxter.
Teacher of the Church at Kedermnfler.
Luke 1 1. 47 [ E* x,Hvo{ ^ • SzK^i 0 yv^i 70 ::h'\H,wii rk
Undon^ Prloccd by Kobert lf)»itc, for Se-M Sii^i'rr.ons, look-fcller at H^edtmirSsr. i 6 5 6, ' ^
^,..,
1-c.
7
2. 3 0
UnrversiVy l-i^'^^"' yO -^ ^-y
To my Reverend aiiJ Dearly beloved Brediren;,tlie faidi- ful Minifteis of Clirift , in "Britt^in 2ind Ireland ^ Grace and Peace in lefus Chnft be increafed*
Reverend Brethren,
^^i^a H E f^b]eEl of tins Treatifi fo nearly _^rz±\ concerneth your [elves and the Chur- ches committed to your care, that tt fer- fivadeth and emboldeneth me to this ad- drefs, notwithftanding the imperfedi- onf in the manner of handlingit , and
the confcioufnefs of my great unmrthinefs to be your
Monitor.
Before I come to mi principal errand, IJhall^veyoH^ that account which Ifuppofe lorreyoH, of the Reafons oj th,s follomng work^, and of the freedom of fpeech which t9 Come may be diihleafiyia, . ,
The Preface.
when the Lord had avpakened his Miniflers in this CoiMty, ^ndfome neighbouring parts to a ftnfe of their duty tn the work^of Catechising, and private Inflru^ Bion of all in their Parijhes that would not obftinatelr refufe their help , and when they hud fnbfcribed an Agreement containing their Refolmions for the future performance of it , theyjudgedit unmeet to enter upon the work^, without afolemn humbling of their fouls be^ fore fhe Lord , for their fo long negleU: of fo great and ncceffary a duty : And therefore they agreed to meet to- gether at Wc rcefter 5 Decern b. 4. 1655. and there to joynmfuch Humiliation, and in ear ne ft Prayer to God for the pardon of our negleEis, andforhis fpectal Afft fi- ance in the worl^ that we had p^ndertaken, and for the fuccefs of it with the People, whom we are engaged to in- firuEi : At which time among others, IwiU de fired by them to Preach : In anfwer to their defires I prepared the following Difcourfe ^ which though it proved longer then could be delivered in one or two Sermons , yet I in- tend.ed t^ have ent red upon it at that time , and to have defiveredthat which was mo ft pertinent to the occafton , and to have refer ved the reft to another feafon. But be- fore the ?neeti'ng, by the increafe of my ordinary pain and weaknefs, I was dtfabledfrom going thither: To re- compence which unwillmgomifiion, I eafily yielded' fo the vequefis of divers of the Brethren, forthwith to publijh ■the things which I had prepared, that they might fee that which they could not hear/Tf now it be objected, that I Ihould not have fpoken fo plainly or (harply againft tfie fins of the Minilby , or that I ftiould not have ptiblifhed it to the view of the world^or at lexft that I J fhoiiM have done it in another tongue ^ and not in I the ears of the vulgar, efpecially at fuclia time whenl
C^ake/I
"Quakers and Papifts arc endeavouring to bring the Miniftry into contempt, and the people are too prone to harken to their fuggeftions : / cmfefs Ithonght the OhjeEiion ve^ry confiderable ^ but that tt prevailed not to alter my refclations^ is to be.afinbed to the follovp- ing ReafoKs. i . It was a purpfed folemn HHmiliatU on that TV€ were agreed on, and that this was prepared and mended for, Andhorwjbouldwe be humbled with* out a plainConfeffton of our ftn ? 2. It was principally 9ur ownfms that the.Confejfion did concern •, and who can be of ended with w for confejftng our own^ and taking the blame andfhame to our fe Ives, which our confacnces told tf^ we ought to do. 3 . / have excepted in our Con^ feffions thofe that, are not guilty : and therefore hope that I have injured none. 4. Having necejfarily prepared it in the Englijh tongue,I hadno jpare time totranflate it. 5. where the fin is open in the fight of the world , it is in vain to at:3mpt to hide it. 6. Andfuch attempts vfill but aggravate it, andincreafe our fijame. 7. A free ConfeJJion is a condition of a fill Rcmijfion ^ and when the fin is publike y the Confeffion muft be publtk^^ If the MinifiersofEng\?.nd had finned only in Latine, I would have made fit ft to have admonified them in Latine, or elfc havefaid nothing to them. But if they will fin in Engltfh, they muft hear of it in Englijh. Vn~ pardoned fin will never let as reft or projper , thoug/j we be at never fo mj*ch care and coft to cover it : Our fin will furely find m out, though we find not it. The work^ -ef Confeffion ts purpofely to make known our fw, and freely to take thejhame to our filves : And if he that ' confeffeth and forfaketh be the-man that fijall have mer- ey, m wonier then if h; that coveretJ} it, proffer not , Prov. 28.13. If we^ befo tender of eurfelves , and fo
The Preface.
loath to confefs, Ged mil be the lefs tender of us , an^L he TviH indite our ConfeJJiomfor pis. He rcill either force our Confciences to confejfion , or hii Judgements pjall pro- claim our iniquities to the jvorld. Know we not how ma- ny malicious adverfaries are day and night at work^ againft us f Sorrie openly revile ^^f, andfome in f caret u"c Uying the defigns, and contriving that which others execute, and are in expeBation of a fuller Ji-roak^ at /^, which mayfiibvcrt m at once, what is it but our fins that is the ^rength of all the fe enemies ? Is not this evil from the ordering of the Lord ? Till wc are reconciled unto him we are never fa fe : He will never want a rod tofcourge m^s by. The tongues of Qr^kers, and Papifts, and many other forts, are all at worhjo proclaim our fins, becapife we will not co?ifcfs them onrf elves : Becaafe we willnot fpeah^ the trpith, they willfpcak^ much more then the truth, Ter if we had man only to plead our caufe I withyperhapswemighrdo'mpich to make it good : but while God accufeth pps, how fh all we be jufiified ? anJi who/ball hide our fns, when he will have them brought to light ? And God is our Accufer , till we accufe our felves : but if we would Judge our felves, he would not Judge pps. 8 . The fire is already kindled which reveal- eth our fn : Judgement is bcgpin at the houfc of God, Hath the Aiiniftry fuffered nothing in England , Scot- land, and Ireland ? and have there been no attempts for t'heir overthrow ? Hath it not been put to the Vote in an Ajfembly that fome called A Parliament of England ,i Tphether the whole frarr^e of the flab lijhed Afinifiry, and\ its legal maintenance fhould be taken down ? and were ■we not put to plead our Title to that maintenance , as if\ ree had been jallinginto the hands of Turks ., that had thirftcd for our fubverfion , as refolved enemies to the^
Chrijiian
The Preface.
Chriflian caufe ? AnX -who hnoras not how many of thefe men are yet alive f and hovf high the fame fpirit jet is, and buftly contriving the accompiijhment of the fame deftgn ? Shall we thinly that they have ceafed their enterp-rife, becanfe they are working r/iore fubtilly in the dark^? Whatarethe /warms of Mailers at the A^flni^ ftry,fent abroad the Land for, bi4t to delude , exafptrare and dif-ajfetl the peeple, and turn the hearts of the chil- dren from their Fathers, that they may be ready to pro- mote the main defign ? And is it not then our wifeft courfe to fee that God be our friend, and to do that which tendeth mofl to engage him in our defence ? 1 thinkjt is no time now tofiandupon our credit , fo far as to negleB our duty, and befriend our fins, andfo provoke the Lord again jl hs. It rai'her befcems its to fall down gt the feet of our vff ended Lord, and to juflifie him in his fudge- ments, and freely and penitently to confefs our tranfgref- fons, and to re five upon afpeedy and through reforma- tion, before wrath breaks out upon us , which will leave as no remedy. Its time to make up all breaches between tis and Heaven , when weftand infuch neceffity of the Divine F rote [I ion ? For how can an impenitent unre- formed people expeEl to bejheltered by Holinefs it felf f It is a fiubborn child, that undtr the rod will refufe to confefs his faults-^ When it is not the leaf ufe of the rod to extort confeffion. We feel much : we fear more -.^ and all's for fin: and yet are we fo hardly drawn tp a Con-*, feffion? 9. The world already k^ows thatwe^re^in- ners .- As none canfuppofe its perfeU:,fo our particular fins are too apparent to the world : And '^ if not meet then that they Jhould fee that we are Penitent ftnners ? It IS fure a greater credit to tis to be Fenitent fmners , then impenitent ftnners : and one of the two we Jhall be
A 4 T9hil$
The Preface.
while we are ^n earth. Certainlj a^ Ej^^zntance n necef- Cars to the recovery of our Peace with God , fo ystt alfi to the refaration of oftr credit with wife and^odtj men: It is befriending and excufing our fin that i4 oiyr fhAtne indeed, and leadeth towards everlafling P^arn; •, rohich the Jhame of ' Penitent confef/ionwoM prevent. 10. Our Penitent Confeffion and fpeedy Reformation Are the means iloAt mufi-Jtlence the reproaching advert farlcs. He i^- impudently inhumane that will reproach men with their fins , that hc)(vail them and penitently charge them upon themfelves. Suth men have a promife 4if pardon from God -^ and Jljall men take U^ hy the throat when Godforgiveth m ? Who dare condemn m, when God /hall jufiifie m f Who [hallLiyihatto our charge, whtch Gcd hath declared that he will not charge t4^ with ?%Vhenfm ps truly Repented of by Gofpel in- dulgenccit ceafeth tobe ours. What ready er way then € an we imagine to free Pi^ from the Jhame 0} it, then to 'fhame our f elves for it in Penitent Confeffions , and to breaks off from it hj fpeedji reformation ? II. Tht Leaders of the Flocks mufi be exemplary to the refl ^ And therefore in this duty as well as in any other. It U not cur part only to teach them Repentance, hut to go be- fore theniin the exercife of it ourfelves : As far as we excelltheniin Knowledge and other Gifts, fo far/bould we alfd excel! them in this and other Graces, 1 2. Too many that have fet their hand to this facred work^ dofo cbfiinately froceed in Self-fi eking. Negligence, Pride, Divtfibn, and other fins, that it is become our necejfary Auty to admonijh them. If we could fee thatfuch would reform without reproof, we could gladly forbear the fuhlipjing of their faults. But when reproofs them- felves do prove f& unejfetlual, that they are more offend^ ed at the reproof then at the f ft, and had rather that we
filQfild
The Preface.
fiouldccdfe reprovingjthen themfelvesjhould ceafe fin- ningy tthinkjt ii time tojhar^en the remedy. For what elfe Jboilld'tve do ? To give uf our Brethren as uncure- able were cruelty, m long cu there are farther means to be ufed. We mufl not hate them, but plainly rebnke tbem, and not fuffer ftn upon them. Lev. 19. 17. And to bear with the vices of the Miniflers , is to promote the rtiine of the Church. For vhat fpeedyer way a there for the depraving and undoing of the people, then the prsvity of their Guides ? And how can we more cjfcElH- ally further a Reformation, ( which we are fo miich ob- liged to do ) then by endeavouring the Reforming of the Leaders of the Church f Surely Brethren, tf it be our duty to endeavour to cafi out thofe Miniflers that are Negligent, Scandalo 14^ and Vnfit for thewori^, and if we thinks this fo necejfary to the reformation of the Church ( as m doubt it is ) it muft needs be our Duty to endeavour to heal the fins of others •, and to ufe a much gentler remedy to them that are guilty of a lefs degree of fin : If other mens fin deferveth an efeclion, fure ours deferve and require plain reproof For my part 1 have done as I would be done bj : and it is for God and the fafetj of the Church , and in tender Love to the Bre- thren whom J do adventure to reprehend -^ Not ( 04 * others ) to make them contemptible and odidus , but to heal the evils that would make themfo : Thatfo no ene- my may find thu matter of reproach among ^. But efpecially becaufe our faithful endeavours are of fo great necefftty to the welfare of the Church andthefavingof mens fouls, that it will not confift with a love to either ( in a predominant fort ) to be negligent cur /elves , or ft tent ly to connive at, and comply with the negligent. If tlooufands of you were in a leaking jhipy^nd thofe that
/kuld
The Preface.
JhotiLi pump oat fhe water and flop the leaks , JhouU be (porting or ajleepy yea or but favow thcmfelves in their labours, to the hazarding of you all , ivou/d you not awake them to their work^ and call out on them to labour its for your lives f and if you ufed fome Jharp-nefs and importunity with the floathful^wonldpu thinkjhat man were well m his wits that would take it ill of you , and accufeyou of pride, felf-mnceitednefs, or unmannerly- n?fs, to pre fume to t alk^fo fawcily to your fellow work^ men ? orjhould tell you that you wrong them by diminijh- ing thsir reputation ? Would yo^ not fay , The work muil; be done,or we are all dead men : is the (hip rea- dy to fink, and do you talk of Reputation ? or had you rather hazard your felf and us, then hear of your fioathfulnefs.^'7'^/k/io/jr cafe. Brethren I The work^of God mpifi needs be do-ne I fouls mufi not perifh while you mind your worldly bufimfs, or obferve the ride and times, and take your eafe, or quarrel with your Bre- thren ! nor muft we be [i lent while nicn are ha/lenedby you to perdition, and the Church to greater danger and confufionffor fear offeeming too uncivil and unmanner- ly with you, or di(j) leafing your impatient fouls I Would you be but jh impatient with your fins as with reproofs , you fljjuld hear no more from us , bpit we fhould be alb agreed ! But neither God nor good men will let you alone infuchfins. Tet if you had betaken your felves to ano- ther calling, and would fin to your fives only, and would periflj alone; we jhould not havefo much nece fifty of mo- le fiingjou, oi now we have : But if you will enter into the office, which is for the necejfary prefervation of m all, fathat by Icttlngyou alo'ne in your fin,we mufi give up the Church to apparent lofs and hazard •, blame m not if ws talk^to you more freely then you would have us
do.
The Preface.
do. If J our own My befick^, andjou will dejplfe the re^ mtdy, or if your own honfe be on fire, and yon wiUbefmg^ ing or quurrelling in theftreetsjcan fojjibly bear it^and htyoii alone (which jet in charity Ifljouldnbt easily do.) But if yon will undertake to be the Phyfttian of an Hof- pital, or to all the Town that ts infeEiedtvith the plague^ or will undertake to quench all the fires that Jhallbe kindled in the Town, there is no bearing^ithyour remif- nefs, how mnch foeverit may dijpleafeyou : Take it how you willy you mufl be told of n : and if that will nctferve, you mufl be yet clofelyer fold of it .' and if that will notftrve, if you be rejeiied as well as refreioendcd , yoH muft thank^yourfelves. I fpeak^all this to none but the guilty : Andthu^ Ihave givm you thofe Reafons which forced me even in plain Englifi to publi/bfo much of the fins of the Alinifiry as in the following Trcatife I have done. And Ifuppofe the more penitent and hum- ble any are, and the more defirons of the truefi Reformat tion of the Church, the more eafily and fully will they approve fuch free confejfions and reprehenfions.
' I ' H E fecond fort of obje^ions againfi this free. ■^ Confeffion of fin, lexpeti to hear from the fever aL parties whofe fins are here confe^ed. Afofi of them can be willing that others be blamed, fo they might bejufti- fied thernfelves. lean truly fay, that what I have here Jpoken hath been as impartially as I could, andnot as x party, nor as fiding with any, but as owning the com- mon Chriftian caufe, and as fomewhat fenftble of the apparent wrongs that have been ojfered to common truth and godlinefs,and the hinder anees ef mens falvation, and
fi\z^ Prctacc.
•/ thehappinefs of the Church. But I find it imfo/f/hig to avoid the offending of guilty men. For there is no way 9f avoiding it, b'M by onrfdence, or their ^atie>Ke: And fiient we cannot be, bscaufe of Gods contmandf : and Patient they cannot be, bcca^tfe of their gttUt and par- tiality, and the inter efl that their fin hath got in their affections : I jliU except thofe humble men, that are Tviiiing to know the worjl of themfelves, and love the hght.that thtir deeds may be made mamfcfi , and long to know their fins that they mayforfake them , and their Amy that they may perform it.
Some its like roill be offended mthm;, th At I blame themfo much for the negleH: of that DtfcipUne , which they have dilputed fur fo long. But what remedy ? If BifcipUne were not of God , or if it were unnecejfary to the Church , or if it were enough to difputefor duty , while w: deliberately refufe to perform it , then would L have given thefe Brethren no offence.
Some its like wtll he offended that I m?nnon with dif- dHowance the Separ.ttlfis or Anabaprifls, at I under- fiand fome are offended mnch that I fo mentioned them in an Epifile before the Quakers Catechifm , as if they 9pemd the door to the Apoflacy of thefe times •, and they fay that by this it appeareth that while I pretend fo much Zeal for the Vnity of the Church, ! intend and endea- vour the contrary. To which I anfwer : I. Is it indeed ^fign that a man loveth not the Vnity of the Saint Sy becaufe he loveth not their dif-union and diviflon ? Who can efcape the cenfure of fuch men, but he that can unite the Saints by dividing them ? Z. I never in- tended in urging the Peace and Vnity t)f the Saints , to approve of any thing which I judged to be a ftn , nor to tje my own tongue or other mens from fe^fonable contrs-
diEiinjf
I
The Preface.
diBingit. Is there no vpiny to peace yuthy furticipatin<r of mens fin ? The thing I defire is this : I . That jve might all conftder how far we maj hold Communion to- gether, even in the fame Congregations , notwithlhtnd- ing our different opinions •, a?id to agree not to withdmrtf where it may fojjibly he avoided, 2 . Bfit where it can^ not, that yet we may confult haw far we may hold Com- mpinicn in difiinB: Congregations : and to avoid that, no further then t6 ofmeer necefflty. And 3 . and principal' iy , to confub and agree upon certain Rules , for the management of our differences in fuch a manner , 04 may be leaf to the difadvantage of the common ChrSfti- an truths which are acknowledged by us all. Thmfar would Ifeel^peace with Arminians^Antinumians, Ana^ bapttfts , or a^y that hold the foundation. Tea and in the two lajl , I would not refufe to ccnfult on accomodation with moderate Papifts themfelveSy if their Principles were not againfl fuch ccnfultations and accommodati- ens : and J fix uld judge it a courfe which God will bet- ter approve of, then to proceed by carnal contrivances to undermine their adverfaries, or by cruel murders to root them out, which are their ordinary courfes. Ire- member that Godly, Orthodox, Peaceable man , Bijhop Uiher, (lately deceafed ) tels tu in hm Sermon at Waiifted, for the Vnity of the Church , that he made a m/tion to the Papifi,Priefts in Ireland •, that , becaufe it w/ts ignorance of the common principles that Tvas like t . be the undoing of the common people ^ more then the hoh' ing of the points rfhich we differ in , therefore both paf ties pjould agree to teach themfome Catechifm ' contain ing thofe common principles of Religu» which are ac know ledge d by mall : Butjealoufes and carnal coun fels -sFQutd not permit them te harken to phii motion. -
3' At*
The Preface.
3 . A'/id as concerning that Epiflle before my papers tothe jSuakers, IfHrther anfwer ^ that ^jSeparatifts there I plainly meanChnrch-dividers : even all that maks unnfcejfary Divifions in or from the Chnnhes of Chrift -y whom the Apoftlefo earnejilj befeccheth m to mar k^ and avoid, Rom. i6, 17. and which he calleth them carnal fur , and fo earneftly contendeth againfl , I Cor. I . andz. and 3 . and in many other places in his Epiflle s. And if this be A tolerable fin, the-ntheVnity of the Church is not a necejfary thing ^ and then the Apoftles wofild never have condemned this fn as they have done. Do we allfofenfblyfmartbjthe effeEi^ of thefe fins , and is the Church of Chrifl among us brought into fuch a torn and endangered condition by them , fo that we are in no fmall danger of falling allinto the hands of the common adverfaries ? Is fo hopeful and chargeable a Reformation fo far fruflrated by thefe rnen •, and yet mufi we not open our mouths to tell them of it ? Aiay we not tell them of it, when we are bleeding by their hands ? Is it tolerable in them to cut and wound, and let out our blood, and is it unpeaceablenefs in m to tell them that we fufer by them, andtobefeech them to repent and to have compajjion on the Church of Chrift ? Mufl we be patient to be r.uinedby them , and have they not the patience to hear of it ? what remedy f Let them be fi lent that dare ^ for I profefs I dare not, I mufl tell them that this height of Prtde hath been in their Anceftors a Concomitant of Schifm. A poor J£)runkard or Swearer will ?mre patiently hear of his fin, then many that we hope are godly will of theirs y •when once they are tainted with thi^ fin. But godlinefs was never made to be the credit of mens fins : Nor is fin to bi let alone, or well thoHght of when it can but get in-
to
The Preface.
to a^odly man. Shall we hate them mcfi, rvhcm rce are hound to love befl ? and floall rrefljeiv it bj fcrbcaring Gur plain rebuke, andfijfering their fm upcn the mi It mufi not be : How ever^thej take it in their fick^ difiem- per, it muft not be. No man that crrcth doth thinks that he erreth : Thefe men are confident thcmfclzes that they are in the right. But the fober prudent fervants cf Chrifi, that have efcaped their difiafe, do fee their er- rour ^ and England jeeleth tt , and that at the very heart : what, mufl Tve die by their hand, and opir verj heart blood be let out, and the Gojpel delivered up to the adverfaries, before they mil believe that they have done uf tvrong, or before they tvill endure to hear us tell them of it ? If the ages to come do not fay more agaitifi the Tvaies of thefe miftaken men, then 1 have done tn that Epijlle : and if either Aiercy or 'judgement do not bring them one day to thinks or fpeak_ more p;arply of themf elves •, then I mufl confefs my J elf quite out in my prognoftickj.
Another fort that will be offended with me, are fme ef the Divines of the Prelatical way : whom I had no rnind to offend, nor to di/honour : But if neceffary duty will do it-^ what remedy} If they cannot bear with juft Admonition, I mufl bear with their impatience. But I mufl tell them, that I (poke not by hear-faj 5 but from fight and feeling. Its more tolerable in an Englipj-man to Jpeak^fuch things, that hathfeen the fad wor!;^ that Tvoi made inEnghndj the flenclngof mofl godly, able i^en, the perfecution even of the peaceable, the difcoun- tenance of godlinefs, and the infultingfcorn of the pre- phanefl in the Land , then for aforrainer that hath k^ovrn of this but by hear fay. when we remember what 4ifort of Aiinifters the Land abounded with, while the
dleft
The Preface-
Mefl and moft diligent men were eafi out , ( of which matters roe cannot he ignorant, if there were no records remaining of their attefted accufations ) we mnft needs "take leave to tell the world that the fouls of men and 'the welfare of the Church were not fo contemptible in oHr eyes, as that weptould have nofenfe of thefe things, or fhould manifefl no diflikt^f. them, nor once invite the gniltj to repent. And if yon thinl^my language harjh, 1 will tranfcribefome words of afar wifer man, and leave it to jour confederation how far the) concern the prefent cafe, orjuflifie my free and plain exfref^ fions,
GM&sdeexcid. Britan, edit.Polid. Virgil, fub fine, [Quid plura ? Fertur vobis in medium Matthaei in confufionem veftram,exemprumj, fan(^orum quoq^ Apoftolorum elcdione, vel judicio Chrifti, non pro- pria voluntate fortiti, ad quod cxci effedi non vidc- tis, quia longe a mentis ejus diilatis, dum in morem & affedum Judae traditoris fponce corruitis. Ap- parct ergo enm qui vos facer dote sfciens ex corde, dicit non ejfe eximium Chriflianum. Sane quod fentio,pro- feram. Poffet quidem lenior fieri increpatio, fed quid I prodeft vulnus manu tantum palparc, ungucntovc ungere, quod tumore jam vel fetore fibi horrdcens cauterio, & publico ignis medicamine eget ? Si tamen uUo modo lanari poffic, aegro nequaquam medelam quaerente & ob hoc medico l^bngius rccedente. Oini- V'iici Dei, c^ non Sacer dotes o licitatores malorum, <^ mn pontifices ^ traditores, & r^n fanBorum ApofloU" rumfucceffvrcs-^ impugnatores, & non Chrifil Mini'* ftri. Aufcultaftis quidem fecundae ledionis Apoftoli Pauliverborumfonum, fcdnuUo modo monitavir- liutemn- -''^^vaftis, a: fimulachrorum more, quae non
vidcnt^
The Preface.
vident/neq- audiunt , eodem cliealcenaftitiflls,licct illc tunc & qnotidie vobis intonarct. Fratrcs , fidelis fermo eft, & omni acceptionc dignus. Ille dixit, hdc- Icm, & digniim , vos ut infidelem & indignum fpre- viftis. Si quisEpircopa£umcupit,bonumopus cupit. Vos Epilcopatum magnopere avaritiae gratia, non fpiritalisprofeAusobcentu, cupitis, & bonumopus ilii condignum nequaquam habetis. Oportec ergo hujufmodi irreprehenlibilem cfTe : In hoc namq^ fermone lachrymis magis, quam verbis opus eG:, ac li dixiflet Apollolus eum efle omnibus irreprehenlibili- orem debere. Unius uxoris virum. Quiditaapud nos,quoqj contemnitur, quafi non audiretur vel idem dicere. Ht virum uxoris fobrium, prudentem ? Quis etiam ex vobis hoc aliquando in effe iib'i falcem opta- vit. Hofpitalem ? Id forte cafu evenerit , popularis aurap potius, quam prxcepti gratia fadum, Non pro- deft, Domino falvatore ica dicente. Amen dico vobis, receperunt mercedem fuam. Ornatum, non vinolen- tum, non percufTorem, fed modeftum, non litigiofum, non cupidum?Ofcralisimmutatio,6 horrcnda prsc- ceptorum cceleriium conculcatio •, nonne infatigabiii- ter ad hac expugnanda, vel potius obruenda afiuum verborumq-, arma cor'^ipitis, pro quibus confervan- dis, atq-, hrmandis, fi neccfTe fuiffet, & poena ultro fubeunda, & vita ponenda erat ? fed videamus c?c fe- quentia. Domum luam ( inquit ) bene regentem, R- lios habentem, fubditos in omni caftitate. Ergo im- perfeda eft patrum caftitas, li non item & hliorum accumuletur > Sed quid erit, ubi nee pater, nee hlius, j|| mail genitoris exemplo privatus, confpicitur caftus ? JSi quis autem domui lua? prxefT; nefcit, quomodo JEcclcrixDridiligentiam adhibebit? Hnec fa nt verba 11 (a) qu3r
The Preface.
quar indnbitacis atfedibus approbancur. Diaconos fi- m liter pudicos, non bilingues, non vino mulco dedi- to$,noa curpe luct-uni fedancesjiabence^ minittci-ium fidei, inconfcieiKiapura. Hi au tern probencurpn- mum, & lie miiiiiben: nullum crimen habences. His nimirum horrefcensdiu immorari,unum veridicc pof- fuiii uicei-e. C^j^inlixc omnia in cona-ai'ios adusmu- tantur, ica uc clerici quod non ablq- dolore cordis fa- teor, impLidici, bilingues, cbrii, turpis lucri cupidi , habences lide.n, & uc vei"iusdicam, inKdclicacem, in conrciencia imput a, non probaci in bono, led in male px^aefcici miniftrances, & innumei-a crimina habences, facro minifterio adfciilancur. AudiRis eciam illo die , quo mulco dignius, mulcoque rcdius erac, uc ad car- cci'em vel cacallam p.jcnalcm quani ad iacerdocium traheremini domino icicance, (pern fe efTe putarunc difcipuli , Pctrum rcfpondifTe. Tu esChri'lus fllius Dei, eiq.^ dominum pro cali confeilioac, dixifle. Bea- tus es Suiion Bar jona, quia caro & languid non reve- lavic tibi, fed pate' mens, qui in cctlis elr. Ergo Pe- trus a Deo Patre doclus red:c ChriRum conricetur. Vos aucem moniti a pure ve-lro Diibolo inique, fal- vatorem malis adibus denegicis. Vero laccrdoti di- cicur : tu es Petrus, & luper banc pecram, acdificabo cccleflam meam. Vos quiJcm airniiilamini viro llulco, qui afdiiicavit domum fuam, iuper arenam. Nocan- dum vero e!}, quod mlipientibus in aediiicanda domo, arenarum pendulae mobilicati Dominus non coopera- tur,fecundum illud.Fccerunc iibi rcges,& non per me. Itidemq-, quod fequicur eadem fonac dicendo. Et portaelnferi non pra'valebunt,e)urq',peccaca intelli- guncur. De veftra quidem exiciabili tadura pronun- ciancur. Veneirunc flumina, flaverunc venti, & im-
pe^erunc
The Preface*
pegerunt in domum illam, & cccidit^ & fiiit ruina ejus magna. Petro ejufque fuccefforibus dicic Domi- nus, & tibi dabo claves regni ccelorum. Vobis vci'o ^ Non novi vos, difcedite a me, operarii iniquicatis , lit feparaci finiftrx partis hoedicacis in ignem ster- num. Itemq- omni fando facerdoti promittitur. Et quxcunqiie illveris fuper terram, erunt foluta&in ccelis,& qucecunq:^ligaveris fuper terram,erunt ligata & in ccelis.Sed quomodo vos aliquid folvctis, ut fitfo- lutam,& in ccelis^a coelo ob fcelera adempti,& imma- nium peccatorum funibus compediti ?Ut Solomon quoque ait, funiculis peccatorum fuorum unufquifq^ conitringitur. Qua ratione aliquid in terra ligabitis , quod fupra mundum etiam ligetur, propter vofmet- pfo.^ qu i ita ligati iniquitatibus, in hoc mundo tene- mini, ut in coelis nequaquam arcendatis,red in infaufta tartari ergall:ula non converfi in hac vita ad domi- num , decedatis. Nee nbi guifquam facerdotum de corporis mundi folum confcientia fupplaudat, cum eorum quibus praeeft, ll propter ejus imperitiam, feu defidiam, feu adulationem, perierint, in die judicii de e jufdem i lanibus veluti interfedoris animx exquiran- tur Quia nee dulcior mors, quam quse infertur ab unoquoq- homineq-, malo , alioquin non dixiflec Apollolus velut paternum legatum fuis fucceflbribus derelinquens. Mundus ego fum ab omnium fanguine, non enim fubterfugi, quo minus annuntiarem vobis omne minifterium Dei. Multum namq-, ufu ac fre- tjueutia peccatorum inebriati , & inceffancer irru- entibus vobis fcelerum cumulatorum,acli undis quaf- fati , unam veluti poft naufragium , in qua ad vivo- rum terram evadatis, poenitentiae tabulam toto ani- mss nifu exquinte, uc avertatur furor Domini a vo^
(a 2) bis.
The Preface.
bis, mifericorditer dicentis, nolo mortem peccatoris , fed lit convertatur & vivat. Ipfe omnipotens Deus totiu.s confolationis & mifei'icordix: pauciiiimos bo- nos pailores conlervet ab omni mr^Jo, & municipes fciciat ciWtatis Hierufalem codettis, hoc ell landorum omnium congregationis,Pater & 1- ilius ^fpiritus fan- dus, cui ,lit honor & gloria in fecula leculorum. Amen.
Jf the Englip} trM-4flation of this booh^ ( for tranfla- ted it islon^ ago ) do fall into the hands of the vulgar, th'j will fee what language the Brittiflj Clergy received from ofie that wan neither a cenfurioits railer, nvr fchif' magically fclf-opmionated.
Perhaps fime will fay, that the waiter is not much amended, when in former times we were almofl all of a mind , and now we have fo many Religions, that we know not well whether we have anj at all. Anfw.
1. Every different opinion is not another Religion.
2. This u the common Popiflj argument again fl Re for ^ mation , as if it were better that men believed nothing fide divira, then enrfuire after truth , for fear of mif- belief: And as if they woi^ld have all ungodly , that th:y might be all of a mind. lamfure that the mofi of the people /« England where ever I came, did maize Re- ligion, and the reading of Scripture, or (peaking of the way to heaven, the matter of their bitter fcorn and re- proach. And would yoH have us all oj that mind a(rain,for fear of differences ! A charitable wijh I i. If others run into the other extream, will that be any excufe to you ? Chrifls Church hath alwaies fuf- fered between profane Unbelievers , and Heretical di- viders, as hefujfered himfelf on the Crofs between, two thnves. And will the fin of one excnfe the other. f
4- Anl
The Preface.
4. <And yet- I muftfay , ( lefi I be impoufly blind and ungrateful) that through the great mercy of God, the matter ts fo far amended, that many hundred drun- ken, fwcartnf, Ignorant, negligent, fcandalous Aiim- flers are cajl out -^ and we have many humble, godly, painful teachers in a County for a few that we had be- fore. This ii fo zifibly true, that when the godly are feajled, who formerly were almojl famijhcd, and beaten for going abroad t§ beg their brad, you can hardly by all your arguments or Rhctorickjperfwade them that the times are no better with them then they were •, though men of another Nation may pjfibly belizvc you infuch reports. I blefs God for the change that 1 fee in this Countrey -^ and among the people , ^even in my own charge •, which ii fuch as will not permit me to believe, that the cafe is as bad with them as formerly it hath been. I fay with Minutius lrcelix,p. 401. ( mihi ) Quid ingrati fumus ? quid nobis mvidemus ? Si Veri- tas divimcatis noliri tern pons state maturuit. Frua- mur nOitro bono ^ Et redi fententiam temperemus : cohibeatur fuperilitio : impietas expietur : religio fervecur. It is the ftnful unhappinefs of fome mens minds, that they can hardly thinkjvell of the befi words or waies of thofe whom they d faffed : And thej ufual- iy difajfeSl thofe that crofs them in their corrupt pro- ceedings, and plainly tell them of their faults : ylnd they are ready to judge of the reprovers jpirit by their own, and to thinks that all fuch Jharp reproof s proceed from fome difafe^ion to their perfons, or partial oppoft- tion to the opinions which they hold r And therefore they willfddom regard the reproofs of any,but thofe of their own party ., who will feldom deal plainly with them, becaufe they are of their party. But plain ^dealers are ( as ) alfvaies
The Preface.
Alroaies approved in the end, : And the time is at hand when you Jhall confefs , that thofe irere your t ruefl friends. He that will deal plainly ajr^ainji your fih r, in uprightncfs and honeftj , will deal as plainly for you a^ainfl the fins of any that would injure you : For he [peaks not againft fnMecaufe it is yours, but becaufc it u fin. It IS an obfervable parage that is reported by many, and Printed by one, how the Lite Kin^ Charls , ( who by the Bijhops infligativn had kept Air. Prin/o lon(r in prifon , and twice cropt his ears, for wy'.ting A'l^ainf theiv Afaskj ^^d Plaies. and the high and hard proceedings of the Prelates ) when he read his notable voluminous jpeech for an acceptance of the Kings Ctn~ ceffions , and an agreement with him thereupon, did , not lonT before his death deliver the Book^to a friend that flood by him, fay in<T, Take this Book: I give k thee as a Legacy : and believe it, this Gentleman is the Cato of the Age. The time will come when plain dealing will have a better ConfiruFUcn , then it hath while prejudice doth turn the heart again]} it . I Jhall (land no longer on the Apolo<Htical part : I thinks the foregoing ObjeElions being an'^wered. there is no great need of more of this. The Title of the Bookjt [elf IS Apologetic al ( which if I tell you not , I may well expect that fume of my old ingenuous Interpreters Jhould put another fenfe upon it ) I pretend not to the Sapience of C>ildas, nor to the San^ity of Salvian [as to the degree : ) but by their nam.es I offer you an ex^ cufe for plain dealing. If it was n fed in a much grea^ ter meajjtre, by menfo wife and holy as thefe, why Jljould it in a lower meafure be dif-allowed in another ? At haft from hence I have this encouragement, thai the f Jain dealing of GiidasW Salvian being fomfich ap- proved
The Preface.
f roved hy us now they are dead, how much fcever they n:ight be defpifed or hated while thi^y were living, hy them whom thej did reprove, at the worft Imay txpeti fume ftich fpicccfs in times to come.
But my principal btifinefs is yet behind. Imufinow take the boldnefs, Brethren, to become jour Alonltor coyjcerning fome of the riecejfary duties, of which I have fpoken in the enf'piing difcourfe : If anyof jou (hould charge me with arrogancy or immodefly, for this at- tempt, as if hereby I accufed you of negligence , or judged my felf fufjicient to admonijh you •, I crave your candid interpretation of my boldnefs, affurin^ you that J obey not the counfel of my flejh herein, but difp leaf e my felf as much as fome of you •, and had rather have the eafe and peace of file nee, if it would fl and with du- ty and the Churches good. But it is the meer neceffity of the fouls of men, and mj defire of their falvation, ayid the profperity of the Church, which forceth me to this Arrogancy and Immodefty, if fo it muft be called. For who that hath a tongue can be ftlent, when it is for the honour of God, the welfare of his Church, and the everlafting happinefs of fo many perfons ?
I . And the firfi and main matter which T have to propound to you, is, jvhether it be not the un^ueflionable duty of the generality of Afiniftersin thefe three Na- tions, to fet themfelves prefently to the work^ of Gate- chiding , and Perfo'nal Inftrufiing all that are to be taught by them, who will be perfwadedto fubmit there- unto f I need not here ftand to prove it, having fuffici^ entlj done it in the following difcourfe. Can you ththJ^ that holy wifdom will gain- fay it ? will ^ealfor God, will delight in his fervice, or love to the fouls of men gain-fay it ? i . Th^t people muft be taught the Prin^
(2i^) cipU%
The Preface.
ciples of Religion, And matters of great efi necejfitj t9 falvAtion , is pafi douht amonff ur. 2. jinJithdt tkey ntufi be tatight it in the mojt edifjinga-iviinTugiOHs way , 1 hope we are agreed ? 3 . And th.it perfunal Conference, and Examination , and Infiruflion , hath many excellent advantages for their good, is bejond dif- pute, and afterward muni fe (led. 4. As alfo that per- final Inflraciion is commended to hs by Scripture , and the praBices of the fervants of Chrift , and uppruved by the ^odly of all ages, fo far as Icanfindwnhoht eontradiclion, 5. It is pafi doubt that we Jhofi/dper^ form this great di<ty to all the people, or as many as we can : /•'<?/' our love and care of their fouls mufi extend to all. If there be a i ooo. or 5 00. ignorant people in yotir Parifh , it is a poor difcharge of your duty now 4ijfd then uccafionally to fpeakjo fome few of them, and let the refl alone in their ignorance, if yon are able to afford thc;yr help. 6. And it is a r certain that fo great 4 workjis thiJ is, Pnttld take up a con fider able part of oar time, 7. A/id as certain is it, that all difties jhould he done in order, as far as may be, and therefore flootdd have their appointed times. And if we are agreed to praEHfe according to thife commonly acknowledged truths, we need not dijfe/ upon any doubtful circum- fiances*
Obj. pye teach them m piil^ like '^ and how then art we bound to teach them man by m^in be fides ?
Anfw. ToH prayfcr the??} in Pub like : Ah.fi you n:t alfo pray for them tn private ? Paul taught every man, a>id exhorted every man, and that both pub likely and from hotife to houfe, night and day with tears. The ner cecity and benefits afterward mentioned prove it to be joHrduty. But what need we add mjr:,when experience
fpeakj
The Preface.
/peaks fo loud ? I Am daily forced to admire yhuw U^ mentably ignorant many of our people are, that havt feemed ^li^ent hearers of me this ten or twelve years , while I fpckeaspLuNlyas 1 was able to ffeak^ I Some know not that each perfon in the Trinity ts God ^ Nor that Chrift is God and man •, Nor that he tool^his hu^ mane nature into heaven ^ Nor many the like neceffa- ry principles of our faith. Tea fame that come con-' flantlj to private meetings are fot:nd grofly ignorant : H'hereas in one hours familiar infir/^ftion of them it private J they feem to under ft and more, and better enters tain it, then the) did in all their lives before.
Obj. But what obligation lyeth on us to tje our felves to certain daies for the performance of this workj
Anfw. This is like the Libertines pleamainft fami- ly prayer* They ask^y where are we^und to pray morning and evening ? Doth not the nature and end, of the duty plainly tell you that an appointed time co'rt- duceth to the orderly fuccefsful performance of it .? How can people tell when to come if the time he not made known ? Tou will have a fixed day for a LeEiure, be- CAufe people cannot elfe tell when to come without a par- ticular notice for each day : And it is as necejfary here, becaufe this muft be a conftant duty , as well as that,
Obj. But we have many other iuftnefes that fome- times may interrupt the courfe,
Anfw. M^eightyer buftnefs may put by our preach- ing, even on the Lords day ^ but we muft not therefore rcglecl our conftant obfervance ordinarily of that day : And fo it is here. If you have fo much greater buft- nefs, that you cannot ordinarily have time to do the Minifterid work^, you [bould not undertake the office :
For
Tl^ Preface.
For Minifters are men fepanitcd to the Gofpel of Clii"iil:, and mnft give themfelves wholly to thcfe things.
Obj. All the Parlfh are not the Church, nor do I take the Paftoral charge of them, and therefore I am not fatisfied that I am bound to take this fains with them.
Anfw. J yvillfafs by the queftion, Whether all the Parijlj be to he taken for your Church : becaufe in fome f laces it is foy and in others not. But Ift the >fegative befuppofed : Tet 1 .The common maintenance which mojl receive, is for Teaching the whole Parijh, though ■you be not obliged to take them all fur a Church. 2. What need we look^for afironger obligation, then the common bonl^at lyeth on all Chriflians, to further the work^ of mens falvation, and the good of the Church, and the honour of God, to the utmofi of their power : together with the common bond that is on all Adinijlers, to further the fe ends by Miniflerial teaching to the utmofi of their power ? Is it a work^fo good, and ap- parently conducing to fo great bencfts to the fouls of imn, and ytt can you perceive mobilisation to the doin^ of tt ?
Obj. But why may not occafional Conference and In- f^ruclions ferve the turn ?
Anfw. / partly kjiow what occafional conferences are compared to this duty, having trjed both. Will it fatisfie you to deal with one perfon of 20. or 40. or an hundred, and to pafs by all the refl ? Occafional con- ftrencesfall out feldom, and but with few ^ and (which is worfl of all ) arefeldom managed fo throughly , as thefe mufl be. When I fpeak^ to a*man that cometh ts me purpofely on that bufinefs , he wUl better give me
leav$
The Preface.
leave to examine him, and deal clofely with him , then when it falls in on the bj : And mofl occafional con- ferences fallout before others, whers plain dealing will not be taken fo well. But fo my.ch is fuid afterward to the fe and fever al other ObjeBions, that I fhall add no more.
I do now in the behalf of Chrift, and for the fake of hjs Church, and the immortal fouls of men , befeerh all the faithf^'l Mini flers of Chrift, that they will pre- fently and cffcrtually fall upon this work^ Combine for an unanimous performance of it, that it may more eaft- ly procure the fubmiffion of your people. But if there fiotild be found any fo blind or vile as to oppofe it, or dijfent, God forbid that other Aiiniflers fljould bccaufe cf that forbear their duties. I am far from prefumino- to prefcribe yon Rjiles or Forms, orfo much as || mo- tion to you to tread in our fieps, in any circumfiances where a difference is tolerable, or to ufe the fame Cate- chifm or Exhortation as we do : Only fall pre fently andclufelytothework^. If there Jhould be any of fo proud or malicious a mind, as to withdraw from fo great a duty, becaufe they would not feem to be our fol- lowers, or drawn to it by us, when as they would have approved it, if it had ri fen from themf elves ^ / advife fuch , as they love their everlajling peace, to make out to Ch rift for a cure of fuch cankered minds -^ and let them ki^iow that this duty hath its rife neither from them nor us, but from the Lord ^ and is generally ap- proved by his Church : And for my part, let them, and, Jpare not, tread me in the dirt, and let fne be as vile in their eyes as they pleafe,fo they will but harken to God and reafon, and fall upon the work^, that our hopes of a more common falvation ofmen^and of a tr fie Reformat
The Preface.
tioH of the Church mujf be revived. I mnfl confefs 1 findbj/fomeejdperience that this is the wori^ that mtifi Reform indeed ^ that mufl expell our common prevail- ing ignorance ^ that mnft how the ft Morn hearts of men ^ that muft anfvoer their vain ob]en:ions ^ and take off their prejudice •, that muft reconcile their hearts to faithful Minifters ^ and help on the fuccefs of our pub like preaching ^ and muft make true godlinefs^ co7nmoner thing , through the Grace of God, which worketh by means. I find that wc never took^the right- eft courfe to demoli/h the Kingdom of Dark»efs till mw. I d'j admire at my felf how I was kept off from fo clear and excellent a duty fo long. But I doubt not but other mens cafe is as mine was. I was long cvnvin^ cedof it, but my apprehenftons of the difficulties were toogrtut,and\mj apprehenftons of the duty toofmall.and fo J was hindred long from the performance. I thought that the people would but have fcorned it, and none but Off ew that had leafl need would have fubmitted to it : and the thing feemed ftrange : and I ftayed till the peo- ple were better prepared-^ and I thought my ft rength would never go through with it, having fo great bur- dens on me before : and thus I was long detained in de- layes , whljh 1 befeech the Lord of mercy to forgive. Whereas upon tryal , / find the difficulties almoft no- thing ( fave only through my extraordinary bodily weaknefs ) to that which I imagined •, and I find the benefits and comforts of the work^to be fuch , as that I frofefs 1 would not wijh that I had for born it , for all the Riches in the world ( as for my felf ) fVe fpend Mun- d^y andJuM^Ly from morning to almoft night in the work^ • ( befid;s a Chappelrie catcchiz,cd by another ^Jpftmt ) taking aboutii $ . or 1 6. families inaweek^,
(that
The Preface.
( that we may go through the Pari/h ( which hath /ihove Soo. families) in a year : ) and I cannot fay yet that one familj hath refufedto come to me, nor hut few frrfons excufed andjhifted it »jf. And I find more outward figns of fuccep with moft that come, then efall my pihlike preaching to them. If you fay y It is notfo in mojl p/Aces : I anfwer, I . / wiflj that be not much longofoyrrfelves. 2. If fomerefufe your help, that will not excufeyon for not affording it to them that would ac- cept it. If you ask me, what courfe I take for order and expedition ^ / have after told you : In a word •, at the delivery ef the Catechifms , / take a Catalogue of all the perfons of under (landing in the Parijh • and the Clark^goeth a week^ before to every family to tell them when to come., and at what hour { one family at S. a Clocks, the next at 9. and the next at ten, &cc. ) And I am forced by the number to deal with a whole family at once •, but admit not any of another to be prefent ( ordi- narily. )
Brethren, do I now invite you to this work^, without Ziod, without the confent of all antiquity , without the confent of the Reformed Divines^ or without the convi- [lion of -jour own confciences ? See what our late Ajfem- ^lyfp^ak, occaftonally, in the Dire^ory, about the viftta- tion of the fick^. It is the duty of the Minifter not on- ly to teach the people committed to his charge in publike,but Privately and Particularly to admoniih, exhort, reprove and comfort them upon all feafon- able occafions, fo far as his time, ftrength, and perfo- nal faiety will permit. He is to admonifh them in time of health to prepare for death : And for that purpofe , they are often to confer with their Mini- iler about the eftate of their fouls, &c. Read thit
<n>(r
The Preface
comfort to be had for a dep^irtm^ foul in the reviews of ftich nei^icfieddutj/,as there is to them that have tvholly devoted themfelves to thefcrvice of the Lord. I amfure mj arguments for this duty will appear Jhongejl at the lafij whatever they do now. And again I fay, I hope the time is even at hand when it/hail be asgr^at a pjame to a Minifier to neglcEi the private Infirufting and 0ver fight of the Flock^, as it hath beentobe afeldoni Preacher ^ for which men are now jufily fecjue fired and ejected • And if God have not fo great a quarrel with Hs as tendeth to a removal of the Gofpel , or at leafl to the blafilng of its prolperity and fucccfs in the dc fired reformation , / am confident that this willpjortly be. And if thefe la^y worldly hypocrites were but quicken- ed to their duty by a Seque firing Committee, joufhould fee them flir more z^ealoufiy then all arguments fetcht from God and Scripture, from the Reward or Punifh- tnent , or from the Necejjity and Benefits of the work^ can perfwade them to do. For even now thefe wretched men , while they pretend themfelves thefervants of Chrift, and are ashing, What Authority we have for hiswork^ ? and if 7ve could but fljew them a command from the Lord ProteElor or Council, it would anfwer all their fcruples, and put the bufinefs beyond dijpute, as if they had a defign to confirm the accufitinn of the Pa- piftf , that their Minifiry only is Divine, and ours de- fendeth on the will of men. Well I for thofe godly zea- hus Minifier s ofChrifi, that labour in fincerity , and denying their worldly interefi and eafe, do wholly devote themfelves to God, I am confident there needs not much Jferfwafion. There is fomewhat within that will prefent- ly carry them to t'e work. : And for the refi, let therp^ cenfure thn warning as fubtilly as they can, they fiaH
n9t
The Preface.
mt hMr/- It from nftng up againjl tlem in j^idrc- ment , unlefs it be by true Repent. oics arJ. Ilcfariv;.i- tUn.
And let me [J'caI^ ow word of this to jot;, that are my dear fellow-Ld'enrers in thii County, who have eng^igcd yotir'felves to be faithful in tins work. It is your henoy.r to leadinlAcredRefolntions ii?id Agreements : b;:t if pu/bouldany of yen be unfaithful in the performance , it will be your double difljomur. Rev icv; your fubfcribcd Agreement, and fee that you perform it with diligence and conftancy. You have begun a happy work^ : fuch as Trill do more to the welfare vj the Church then many that the world doth mak^ a greater fiir about. God forbid now, that imvry^dence or negli<^ence fljonld frufirate all. For the (renerality of you, 1 do net rryixhfear it, having fo much experience of your fidelity in the ether parts of jour office . And if there fljould be any found among you, that will fhkffe over the work^. and deal unfaithfully in this and other parts of your cffce,JtakeitfornojuJl caufeof reprach to us that we accept of your fubfcri- pticn, wheny-UffertOjoyntvithHrS. J- or Catechi^'ng is a worli^ net proper only to a Alinifler •, and we cannot forbid any to engage tin mfe Ives to their unquefticnablc duty : But in our ylfjociation for Difapline we mafl he fomewhat more fcrupulous, with whom we jojn. I earneplj befcech jou all m the nam: of God, and for the fake of your peoples fouls , that yon will not (ligl^t/y flubbrr over thi^s work^ -^ but do it vigoroufly and with all your migh:, and make it your great andferious bufi- nefs : Much judgement is recjuired for the managing of it. Study therefore how to do it beforehand , as yon (ijidy fur your Sermons. J remember how earnefi I was with feme of the lafi Parliament, to haz>s had them-
( b ) fettU
The Preface.
fit tie Catcchifis in otsr Ajfemhlies •, But trtdj 1 am notforrj that it tool^ netc^cH ( milefs for a few of the larger Congregations. ) For Iferceive that all the life of the work^ tmder God; doth lie in the pr/ident cjfefiual managemerii -^ in fearching mens hea-ts , anJ fetting home the faving truths : and the ahleji MiniPer is vpeakjnofigh for this, and few of inferiour place or parts would he fotrnd competent : for I fear nothing Tnore, then that many Miniflcrs that preach well, will hef^und too unmeet for this work^ ^ efpeciallj to manage it with eld, ignorant, dead-hearted finners : And indeed if the 'Ali.'ijlers he not reverenced hj the people, they will rather (light them and conteft with them , then humblj learn 'andf-f'^bmit : how much more would thej do fo hy infe- riour men ? Seeing then the work^ts caft^upon Uf , and it 16 we that mt-'ft do it or clfe it -/m-'fl be undone, let us be up and doing with all our might, and the Lord will be with tis. I can tell you one thing for your encouragement •, It is a work^ that the enemies of the Church and JUiniflry do exceedingly vex at, and hate andfea.r more then any thing that yet we have undertaken, I perceive the figns of the Pi^pifis indignation again ji it. And me thinkj it\ hath the 'mofi notable charatier of a worh^ extraordina- rily and unqjiefiionably good : For they ftorm at it, and yet have nothing to fay againfl it. They cannot blame it, and yet they hate and fear it, and would fain undermine it^ij they knew how. Tou know how many falfe rumour i have heenjpread abroad thu Country to deter the peopL from it : aj that the Lord Prot. cior and Council wen againfl it : That the fubfcribers were to be ejefled That the Agreement was to be publikely burnt , &C And when we have fearcht after the authors, we ca^ drive it no higher then the fakers, the Papijis Emij^
fariss
The Preface.
farics ^ from whom ive may eafily k^oiv their minds. And yet -(i-hen d Papiftfpetiks openly as a Papifi , fome of them have faid , that it is agoodivcrk^^ but that it wants apnhority^ and is done by thofe that are not cal- led to it : Forfooth, hecas^fc we-have not the Authority of their Pope or Prelates : And fome that Jhopdd be imre fober have ujed the fame language : as if they would rMher have thoufands and millions of fouls ncg- leBedy then have them fo much as Catechized and In^ firucied, without Commijfionfram a Prelate. Tea and fome that differ from us about Infant Baptifm, I under- fland^repnc at it •, and fay that we will hereby infnuate our fe Ives tnto the people, and hinder them from the re- ceiving of the trmlo. A fad cafe that any thatfeem to have the fear of God, fhould have fo true a CharaTier of a partial , dividing, and fiding mind^ as to grudge at the propagation of Chrifliamty itfelf, and the common truths which we are all agreed in, for fear leafi it fhould hinder the propagation of their opinions. The common caufe of Chrifiidnity , mp{ft give place to the caufe of thefe lower controverted points : and they grudge us our very labour and f offering for the common work^, though there be nothing in it which mcdleth with them, or which they are able whh any /hew of reafon to gain- fay. I befeech you Brethren let all this, and the many motives that I have after given you, perfwade ycu to the greater diligence herein I Whenyou are f peaking to your people •, do it with the greatefi prudence and feriouf- nefs, and be as ear nefi with them M for life or death ^ and follow it as clofe as you doycnr publike exhortations in the Pulpit. J profcfs again, it is to me the mofi com- fortable work^, except pablik? preaching (for there 1 ffsnkjo more ^thot^.gh yet with lefs advantage to each (bz) ^ne)
The Preface.
cne ) that ever I yet Mdfet mj hand to : Ami I doubt ttit hnt yoH mil find itfotojofi,tfjo:i fai thfu I Ij/ per- form it.
2. \M T fecondrecjHcftto the Reverend Minifters
xVX in thefe Nations is, that at I aft they would
rpithout any TTJore d( Uj , unammoufly fet themfelves to
the praRice of thofe parts of Chriftian Difcip line, which
are P!nytrfli.>nably neccjfary , and part of their worl^
It IS a fad cafe that gcodmen under fo much liberty ,
Jhould fettle themfelves fo long in the conftant neglect of
fo ^reat a dfity. The common cry is, QOur people be
not ready for it : they will not bear it- ] But is not the
meaning, that you will not bear the trouble and hatred
which It will occafton ? If indeed you proclaim our
Churches uncapable of the Order andCjovernment of
Chnft, What do you hut give up the caufe to them that
withdraw from them ? and encourage men to look-out
for better foe ieties where that Difcipline may be had ?
for though preaching and Sacraments may he omitted \
infome cafes, till a fitter fcafon, and accordingly Jo may
Difcipline be ^ yet it u a hard cafe to fettle in a conftant
negleH,for fo many years together m we have done, un-
lefs there were a flat impojj/hility of the work^ : And if
it werefoy becaufe of our uncapable materials, it would
plainly call us to alter eur conftitution, that the matter
may be capable. Ihavefpokc plainly afterward te yon
of this , which I hope yon will bear, Andconfcionably
confiderof. I now only befeech you that "would make a
comfgrtable Mcamt tQthi chief Shef herd y and wotiU\
m
The Preface.
'not hsfonnd unfaithful in the houfe of God, that you do not wilfully cr negligently delay it, as if it were a need^ lefs thing •, norJhrink^notfnM duty bccaufe of troy.hU to the ftejh that do.h attend it : For as that s too fad a fign of hypocrijte •, fo the co ft lye ft d:ities an afually the mofi comfortable -^ andbeftire that Chrifi null bear tl.ecofl. IcokLlherep'odMcea heaf of teflimvmes , of F athers and Reformed Divines , that charge thi^ d:ay irirh great imforttinity. 1 flj all only mv:> give you the 7vcrds of two of the mofi godly, laborious , judicious Di- vines that moft ever the Church of Chrifi had f nee the daics of the Apoflles.
Calvin. Injiitut. li:^-cap. 12. fe^. 1,2. Sed quia nonnulli in odium Difciplinx ab ipfo quoq- nomine abhorrent, hi lie habeanc : Si nulla fccietas, imo nulla domusqux velmodicam familiam habeac, concineri in redo ll:atu line difciplina potell : Earn elTe mulco magis neccflariaci in Ecclefia , cujus flacum quam ordinatillimumefle decet. Proinde quemadmodum falvifica Chrilti dodrina animaell Eccleuae , ita illic difciplina pro nerviseR, qua fit ut membra corporis fuo quacq:^ loco inter fecohareant. Quamobrem quicunq-, vel fublatam difciplinam cupiunt , vel ejus impediunt reftitutionem, five hoc faciant data opera, five per incogitantiam, Eccleilcf certe extremam dif- fipationem quxrunt. Quid enim luturum eft, fi uni- cuiq- liceat quod libuerit ? Atqui id fieret nifi ad do- ftrinaf praedicationem accederehtprivatae monitiones, corrediones , & alia eiufmodi adminicula quae do- drinam fuftinent 6c' otiofam effe non finunt. Difci- iplina igitur veluti fraenum eft, quo retineantur & den imentur qui adverfus Chrifti dodrinam ferociunt ; yel tanquam llimulus quo excitentur parum volun-
(b 3) tarii>
The Preface.
taril : interdum cciam veliit pacerna ferula qm cle- mcntcr & pro fpiritus Chriili manractudme cailigcn- tur,qui gravius lapfi lunc. Qiium ergo Jam unminere cernamus initia quxdam horrciidcc in Ecclelia valHta- t!S, ex CO quod nulla eft cura, ncc ratio conninendi populi , ipfa neceilicas clamac remedio opus cfTe. Porro hoc unicum remediumeft quod & Chrilius pr >> cipit, & femper ufitatum inter pios fuir. 2. Pnmum dildplina? fundamcntumen:, ut privatnr monicior.es locum habeant : hoc ell:, llquis officium fponce non faciac aut infolcntcr fegerat aur minus honelie viva:, aun aliquid admiferic repreheniionc dignum, uc paci- atur Te moncri, acq-, utquif(|-,fratrem Ilium uum res poflulabit monere ftudeat. Prxfercim vero in hoc ad- vigilent Paftores ac presbyteri quorum partes lunt: non modo concionari ad populum fi'd per linguhs do- mos monere & exhortari, licubi univeri:di docftrtna non fatis proieccrint, quemadmoduni docet Pauhis, quum referc fe docuiile privatim & per domos • & fe mundum a ianc^uine omnium atceRacur, quia non cedaveric cum lachrymis no(^ie cv die monere unum- quemque. Sec the reft. And feH. 4. he adds of the »e- cejfity : Sine hoc difciplinae vinculo qui diu Hare poiTe Ecdefias coniidunt , opinions Fallantur : Nifi forte carcrc impure poiiimus coadminiculo , quod Domi- nus fore nobis nece.Tarium providir.r>/£'f.5.Ar(|- hie quoq -^ habenda eilcoenae Dominicx ratio ne promif- nia exhibit ione profimetur. Vcnirimum eil: ertim eum cui commiiTa ell; difpenfatio fi fciens ac volens indig- num admiferit quern re[iellere jure poterat, proinde reum efle facrilegii acfi corpus Domini canibus pro- ftitueret.
Hier. Zanchius dc Ecclefia VoL ^.f.ii-i,, 124J
(Difciplina)
The Preface
( DifcIpUna) eil adio qua Eccleda, recundiim facul- tacem \.hi a Cbriilo tracicc-m lidele^fuos non folum pubuce , fed eciam privatim, tamin vero Dei culcii ijuaiTi in bonis moribus idq-, ciun dodrina , turn cor- redionibus, rum Ecclei^ai'icif paenis 3c cenfuris, turn etiam ii opus £t excoinmuiiicacionibus inflicuit & in- rtituncsreanei:. fol. 1 24. ?rim'> habec privacam do- Otrinam. Habet eniinEccleiia pote.lacem , (1 publica dodrina in publico templo non lufficiac , privacas & delinm doTios ingrediendi, arq- ibi eospdvatim do- cendi, ac in vera dodrjna ac r.^ligions Chriliisna infli- tuendi : & Hdeles pati debent m Paftor fuas sedes ingrediacur , & eos privatim iniliLuat. Hujus ex- einplum e.r, in ^i(r/. 20. cvc. jdeai fecerunc reiiqui Apoftoli . 2 . Habec pri vatas admoniciones, corredi- ones, objurgai:ione>',C^r. Thi<< ^sfoy private teaching: New for the Sacrame?it, hear what he faith, ibid, fo/, 79. Ol^j. ManebimusinEccIeiia,audiemus verbum, C^c. fed qui pofTumus in ccena Communionem vobif- cum habere, cum ad earn admiccantur mulci impuri , ebrii, avari, &c. Refp. i . Quantum ad hospeccato- res, eos intelligi polTe bifliriam : vel qui ante fuerunt ebrii , c^c. Sed pollca reiipuerunt. Hos dicimus fe- cund urn verbum domini non tftc excludendos a Men- fi domini,quandoquidem vera pccnitentia & Hdeprae- diti funt : vel eos qui etiamnum ebrietati fludent , aliifqi, vitiis, & talis fine poenitentia & fide acce- dunt : Hos dicimus fimpliciter non effeadmittendos. Quod autem admittuntur plerumq-, hoc contingere poteft bifariam : velexignorantiaMiniiborum, eo quod non agnoverint tales efTi , quales funt : £t hanc ccrtc igmrantiam mn ^rohamiif, qmnia^r^ dehet Jliim- fier agnofcercj q^aUfnam fint illl qtdbii^ ccsnam DDmi-
(b 4) ni
The Preface.
fti a^minlftrAt : qfiod fiignorut, mn potefi mn acc;:fari fafm^t e-7' reprchendoiddi negUfcntidC. c^c, Aiu cam Tint omnibus noci c[ualefnam iinc, non ihidenc nmen cos arcerc prx tlmore, vcl aliquo alio hiimano refpe- cUi. Hoc dAmnamm in A4r,nftr'o vlti'im tirrAiitAtis. D^betenim MinifterChrilli QiX-zcord^ttiffimm ot- /■'V- y^oicus. SjcI liicnonelirpsdandimKiuid unus auc al- ter vilis Miniiler agic {mai\thc Title) fjdquxiic r.aiellae inft itiitio, ^^i^ec}-, communis in omnibus Ec- clcfiis confiiecudo : In omnibus autem Kcclefiis nc- ilris ante:]uam cxnaMiniliretur, omnibus hujufmodi inte;diciau- , cV. Et cerco mag'/iiim e!l probi um , <|uod inter iilios ]J)ei locum babcanc & porcl & cane>: Multo ve:6 mag-s, fi illis prodituuntur facro-fanvia ccx^nac Dominica- iymbola, &c. '^^iwz Eccle.ix' Chri- iti lion debeut liujufmodi iccleracos/A? finu f^^u ferr: , necadfacramcccnam dignosfmiul & indignos p:o- mifcueadmirtere : idquod plerumq- fit in Eccle.'ns noflrls : {How nj:wy then wer: tie viSesMiniitri 1 ) But the frincifAl i > hchind of the n?ccjfny of Difcl - ■pUnc:And I defrre hoth Manjiratcs cr MimJlcrSyint') rAjofe handi theft' lines /hall fill, to rc.td and cunfidc' it. Ibid. fol. 13-1,135. Videanc iglcur prir.cipes (k Magiftratus qui b.anc difcip'inam in EccleJiam reliitu- tam noluiir, quid agant. Hxc inllicuta el a Chrifto, ut perpetuo in Ecclefla canquam iingularisthelaurus confervetiii : Ergo qui cam cxulare volunt , Iciant fe velle, (nu'iilum, exulare. Hxc pars eft EvangViii Jefu Chrifti. Ergo qui banc rcftitutam nolunt, fcianc fe nolle EvangeliumChrifti, 1 cut debet, re^licutum. Quomodo igitur gloriamur relitutum efle Evange- Jium in Ecclefiis noftris, fihanceamq- non poftre- piam partem Evangelii re.^atutam nolumus ? Hac
' vicia
The Preface.
vitia corrlguntur : virtutes promo venrur : ergo qui banc 4ifciplinam reftkutam nolunt, qiiomodo audent dicere fe vicia odifTe , virLutum vero amantes effe, piecacis promotores,impietatis ofore?. Hac conferva- tur & regicnr Eccler:a, imguhc]. Ecclel^r membra fuo qiixq-, loco cohxrenc : Ergo qiiomodo qui banc expiiUam volunc dirunt fe veile Chrilli Eccle.^am , bene rertam fi quando line hac bene regi non potelh Si nulla domus nullum opidum, nulla urb.% nulla ref- publica, nullum rcgnum , imo ne exiguus quidem iudusl:cerariu?,fine diiciplma regi potelt, quomodo poce:it:Ecclel.a? I wot^ld Adagtftrateswctdd read the r:j}, -ivhich is ftirpofelj to them.
Et fol. 135. Ac timerur fedicio &: tumukus. Re^p. Ergo neq:, Evangelium eft pradicandum, (y^c. Quid; Annonvidenc Phncipes &: KagliratusnofTri qvancum malum in Ecclefia oriatur, cfc' intus &: foris ex negleducontempruve hujus dilciplinae ? Yoris nulla res eft quacmigis Papiftas &: al'.os, arcear,vel faicem recrud?: ampledendo evangelio, acq- hxc dif- ciplinac Ecclef^afucic deilitucio, qua^ el^ inEcclef.is nodris. ";ntu?,nihil quod magis alat vicla, hneren.s,eV. Anr.oii videnc Ecclef.as fuas principes plenas k<^h5 hxrecicorum , &: impurorum hominum ? Ad bj? confiui: omne genus hominum fanaticorum, impuro- rum,err. tanquam ad afylum. Quare ? quia ibi nulla difciplina.
Scianr ergo principes &: quicunq, ilii fint qui Difci- plinamEccleiiailicam in Eccleliis reftitutam nolunt , fed ci adveriimtur eamq-,profcribunt,feChrifto adver- fari : qui minillros impediunt ne earn exerceant, fe Chrirtum ^c Deum impedire, ne fua fungantur pote- £aee. Quid enim agunt Miniitri cum excommunicant?
pronunciant
The Preface
Pronunciant fententiam Domini. Ait cnim Chriflus : Qyicquid Iigaveritis in terris, (y-c Quid igicur agunc qui impcdiunc Eccleliam ne lentcntiam Domini pro- nunciec ? Peccant contra Chrillum, & rei funt lafaf Divinae Majeftatis. Annon rcuscfTcclxfx Majellatis Caefarea?, iiquis ejus judicem ne fentenciam Carfaris pronunciec impediat ? Vidcaiit igiCur quid agant. Hadenus Chrilhis rexic Ecclefiam luam hac Diicipli- na ^ & ipii Principe?, imo ik Miniftnaliqiiot, no* lunt eam fic rcgi ? Viderint ipfi. Pnnmcio, Procla- r/to, Protcfior,cos peccare, tj/ii cum pofpnt & debeant cam refit t^ere, mn rcflity^nnt.
I hope both A'fagiflrates and Afmifiers that are gnil- tjy Kvillgive me leave to fay the iikr with Zanchy, Tfnot to call them Traitors againfl the Afajcfly of God, that hinder Difcipline, and adverfarics to Chrifi,yct at leafi to PronoHHce, Proclaim, Protcft, that thejfmagai»fi God, Tvho fet it not up when they may and ought, BaX ■what if the Magi fir ate will not help us f Nay , IV Lu if he were againfl It ? Sohe was foi' about ^oo. years, when Difciplme wm exercifedi/i the primitive Chfirch. To this Zanchy adds, ib. Miniitri Ecdeiia^ quan^tmi per confenfimi & pacem Ecclena' licec banc i^ifcipli- nam exercere dcbetis. Hanc cnimpv'-yteltatem vobis dcditDominus,neq- quifpiam auierre earn poceil; : nee content! e/Te debetis ut doceatis quid agendum, quid fugiendum lit, utut quilq • pro lua libidine vi- vat nihil curantes,fed urgenda dilciplina.vid. Jf^guft, deiide & operib. c. 4. Obj. At impedimur per Magi- ftratum. Refp. Tunc illi ligniiicace quam male agat , &c. Read the reft of thefolid advice that Calvin and Zanchy in theforecited places, do give both to Minifters and people where Difcipline is wanting.
The
The Preface.
The great Ob'jeBion thatfeemeth to hinder fome from this vork^ IS bccaufe ivc are not agreed jet ^who it is that yntift do it f }Vhcthcr onlj a Prelate ? or whether a Pres- bjterie f orafingle P aft or ? or the People ? AnAv. Let fo mi4ch be exercifed as is out of duubt. i . Its granted that aftnqle Pafior way expound afid apply the word ef (iod : He may rebuh^ a notorioHS ftnner by name. He may maki kl^oivn to the Ch:.rrch that God hath com- manded them, with ftich a one no not to eat ? and require them, to obey this command, &c. 1 fh all fay no more of this now , then to cite the words of two learned, godly, moderate Divines, impartial in this caufe. The one is Air. Lyford a maintainer of Epifcopacj, in hts Lega- cy of Admiffion to the Lords Supper : whopag. 55. faith, [ Q^. In which of the Minifters is this power placed? J yl'rifw. Every Vinifler hath the power of all Ch:iils Ordinances to difpenfe the fame in that Con- gregation or Hock, over which the Holy-Ghoft hath made him Overfeer ^ yet with this difference : he may preach the word, baptize, and adminifter the holy Supper alone of him.felf without the aflidance or confent of the People : But not excommunicate alone ( he means not vAthout the people, though of that m.ore muft be faid : ) becaufe excommunication doth prefuppofe an offence to the Congregation, a convi- dion and proof of that offence, and witneffes of the parties obllinacy : and therefore hereunto is requi- red the adion of more then one, o-r. Excommuni- cation com prizeth feveralads : Admonition, private, publike : the lad ad is, the cafting out of a wicked obftinate perfon from the fociety of the faithful. I . By the authority of Chrift, 2. Difpenfed and exe- cuted by the Miniftcrs of the Gofpd. 3. With the
ailiftance
The Preface
afii {lance and confent of the Congregation , cV. 2. If you ask by whole office and Minilbry this fcn- tence is denounced ? I anfwer , by the Miniftcrs of theGofi>H: we bind and loofe dod:rinally , in our preaching peace to the godly and curfestothewic- Ked : But in excommunication we denounce the wTathof God agaiia't this or that particular perfon ( Thou art the man I the i- haft no part with us •. ) and that not only declarativcly, but judicially : It is like the fentence of a Judge on the bench, o-c. 3 . Ir you ask, Whether this be done by the Miniiler alone? i anfw. No-, it mull: be done by the alliftanceand confent of the Congregation, i Co?-. 5.4. Excom- munication muft not be done in a corner, by the Chancellor and his Regi(ler,d-r.But wholbever doth by his offences lofe his right to the holy things of God, he muft lofe it in the face of the Congregati- on, and chat after proofs andallegacions,as is above- faid : the people hear and fee the offence , complain of It, and are grieved at his focie:y with them , and judge hi^rn worthy to be caft out. This concurrence and confent being fuppofed, every Minifter is Eplfco^ pus Gregis, a Bifhop in his own Parifli {N. B.) A^, 20. 28. To all the Flock^over rphtch the Holy- Ghoft hath made jo:i t;?!^/^^^^ Ove/feers. And Hel^. 13. 17. Remember them rrhick have the Rule over jot4, who have fpoken to you the word of God. Where note, that they who preach the word of God , muft Rule and Govern the Church • and every Preacher is a Ruler, unto whom the people m.uft fubmit. v. 1 7. Befides every Minifter is veftedwith this authority at his Ordination, ( Whofe fms thou doft forgive, they are forgiven ; whofe fins thou doft retain, &c.
2, Every
The Preface.
2. Every Miniflcr is vefted with this authority by the Laws of this Land : The words of the Kubrick for the adminirtration of the Lords Supper which do en- able us thereto are thefe [_ If any of thofe which in- tend to be partakers of the holy Communion, be an open notorious evil liver, fo that the Congregation by him is ofFended,or have done wrong to his neigh- bours by word or deed, the curate having knowledge thereof, fliall call lum, and advertife him in any wife not to prefume to the Lords Table , until he have openly declared himfelf to have truly repented and amended his former naughty life, that the Congre- gation may thereby be fatisiied, which afore were offended • and that he have recompenced the parties whom he hath done wrong to , or at leall declare himfelf to be in full purpofe fo to do as foon as he conveniently may : Befides this our Authority in this particular is^ confirmed by an Ordinance of the Lords and Commons m Parliament, &c. ' So far Mr. LyfordsTTf^/^/.
The other li Mr. Tho. Ball of Northampton in his
late BoGk^ for the Mimjlry, where Part I. Cap. ^. he
hringcth many Arguments to preve it the Minifiers
duty to cxercife Dtji, ipliyje as well as to preach : a?id the
feventh Argument ts this y [^What was given by the.
Bifhops unto fuch Miniiiers as they ordained and
laid their hands upon,fhould not be grudged or de-
nyed to them by any body : for they were never
accounted lavilh or over liberal unto them, efpecially
in point of Jurifdidion : that was alwaiesavery
tender point, and had a guard and centry alwaieson
it ; for conceiving themfelves the fole pofTefTors of
it, they were not willing to admit of partners *.
Whatevre
The Preface.
Whatever they indulged in other points, as Pharaok to fafeph ; Only in the throne I will be greater then fhoii 1 Vet Bifhops granted to all that they ordain- ed Presbyters, the ufe and exercife of Difciplineas well as DoArine, as appears in the Book of ordering Bifhops, Prieils and Deacons, whereof the! nterroga- torres propounded to the party to be ordained is , [ Will you then give your faithful diligence alvvaies fo to Minifter the Dodrine and Sacraments, and the Difcipline of Chrift as the Lord hath commanded , and as this Realm hath received the fame according to the Commandments of God , fo that you may teach the people committed to your care and charge with all diligence to keep and obfervethe fame: | Which a Reverend and Learned Brother , not obfer- ving would confine all jurifdic^ion to Diocefan Bi- shops, c^-c. ArgM. 8. What is granted and allowed to Minifters by the Laws and Cnifoms of this Nation cannot reafonably be denyed : for the Laws o?Eng- /^W have never favoured ufurpation in the Clergy, &c. But the Laws and cultoms of this Nation al- lows to the Minifters of England the ufe and exercife of Difcipline as well as Dod:rine : for fuch of them as have Parfonages or Redories, are in all procefsand • proceedings called Redors, crc.
2. And 06 to the point of the Peoples intereft^ the moderate feem to differ hf^t in wordf. Some fay the Peo^ ■pie are to Govern hy Vote : Iconfcfs if this were under- flood as itisjpokcn , according to the proper fenfe of the Tvords , and pra^ifed accordingly , it were contrary /•<? the exprefs commands of Scripture ^ which Command the Elders to Rule well, and the people to obey them as their Ruler Sy in the Lord : And it feems to me to be de-
flru3iv9
1
The Preface.
flrn^ive to the Being of a Political Churchy whofe cofu ftittitive farts are the Ruling and the K ubd farts : as every Schcul ccnftfteth of Mafier and Scholars , and every cummon-ivealth of the Pars imperans,&: pars fub- dica : And therefore thofe that rigidly flick^ to this, do cajl out themfclves from all f articular Political Churches Communion of Chrifts inftituticn. ( Which hecaxfc I have former ly [aid, or fomewhat to that fHr- fofe, a late namelcfs Writer makes me crnel to his farty, while Ifeemfcr them, andfofelf-ccntradicttng ' as if it T^ere cruelty to tell a Brother of htsfin, and not to leave it on him : Or as if I underjlood not my felf , becaufc he pmderfiands me not I ) Bnt I ferceive the moderate n^ean not any fuch things as thefe words in their froftr fenfe imfort. They only would have the Chnrch Ruled as a free feofle ( a^from unjuft imfofnions ) and in a due fuhordination to Chrifl. And -we are all agreed that the Pafiors have the Judicium Diredionis, the Teach- ingy Direfting Power, hy Office : and that the Peofle /j/jz^f Judicium Dilcrecionis ■ and mnft try his DireBi- ons, and not obey them when they lead to Jin -^ and there- fore we cannot exfeft that thefeofleJhonld execute any of oj:r DireHions exceft their fudjement lead them to execute them. ( Though if their judgement be wrongs God requireth them to retlife it ) And as for the Judi- cial Deciiive power (about which. there is fo great con- tending ) in the ft riEiefi fenfe it is the Prerogative of Chrift , and belongeth to neither of them : For only Chrifl is f refer Law-giver, ayid fudge cf the Church, whofe Law and fudgement is Abfolute, ofitfelf Deter- minative, and not fubjeEled to our try al of its equity or obligation. So that we muft as much conclude that there if no final fudge of Controverftcs in rf Particular
Church,
The Preface.
church, M rre do againfi the Pafifts, thut there ts none in the Church in aener^iL And therefore the Churches fudichil Dec'} five Power is hpit iwproperljifuch, redu^ cible to the former .which feeing we are agreed in, we are ^ oi far infenfe agreed in this. A Pafior is Ji'idge as a Phyfici^n in an Hofpital , or as Placo or Zeno was in his School , or any Tatour in a Colledge of voluntary Students. For any more, it helongeth to Chrifi , and to the Alagiflr ate. Why then do we ftandcjuarrelingabopit the names ? One faith , The people have a Power of Liberty, and the Minifters only the Power of Autho- rity. And what's this more then we yield the?n -^ viz. That the guiding Amhcrity be'ina only in the Guides y and the people command,ed to obey them in a due fubor^ Snation to Chrifi, there is a Liberty belonnng to all the Saij^rts-^ from any other kind of A/inifierial Rule , that is, from a lie volo, lie jubeo, a Rale without Di- vine authority : and therefore the people mujl firfi try and judge, whether the Direction be according to God, andfo obey : And this in Church cenfures as well as other cafes. So that , i. As the people ought not to dijfent, or difobey their Guides, unlefs they lead them to fin (and therefore mufifee a danger of fin before they fufpend obedience.) Sol. the Guides cannot bring the people to execute their Cenfures or Directions, but by procuring their confent. And therefore though he muft do his duty, and may pafs his Directive cenfure though they dijfent, and Minifierially reqpiire them in the name of the Lord, e. g. to avoid a notoriopts objhnate ojfen- der, andfo to obey the command of God ^ that is, though we may charge them in the name of the Lord to con- fent, and ohij ^ mddo their duty, yet if their judge- ments remain unconvinced in a cafe which is to them
ehfcurc r
The Preface.
ohfcure, wc have no more to do, bnt fatisfie our fehc^ that we have done our duty. So that when we have quarrelled never fo long, what is it bt.t the Peoples confent that the moderate men on one fide do require f and confent the otlxr fide requireth alfo : Call it what elf e J OH will,whether a Goytrnmcnt^ or an Authority, or a Liberty ;, Confent is the thi/ig which hoth require ! And are we not then in the matter agreed ? Per^ife fur this Mr. Lytords words before cited. See alfo what the leading men for Presbyterian Government do not on- ly acknowledge but maintain as eff equally as others : as Dav. Blondellus de Jure plebis in Regim. Ecclef Calvin Inftitut. 1. 4. c. 12. fed. 4. Ne quis tale judi- cium fpernat, aut parvi aeftimet fe Fideliumfujfragiis damnatum, teftatus eft Dominus, err. Ita Zanchius ubi fup. and many more. Indeed this Cf^nfent of the people is not fine qua non to the Paftors performance of his own part ^ viz. l Charging the Church in Chrifls nam^ to avoid the Communion rf fuch anotorioiu ohflt- nate offender . and fufpending his own acts towards him : andfo charging them to receive the innocent or penitent.^ ( For if the people confent not to avoid fuch, andfo would exclude all Difcip line, yet the Pafior mufi charge it on them, and do his part. ) But it is fine qua noa to their actual rejetling and avoiding that offender. In a word, we mufl Teach them their duty and require it : and they and we muft obey and do it • and neithrr they "nor we may oblige any to fin.
Obj. But rpe are not agreed about the matter of ths Church that mufl be Governed.
Anfw. Perufe the qualifications required in Church- members in the writings of the moderate en both fides , ^nd fee what difference you can find I Are net both
( c ) a (Treed
The Preface.
AjTreedy that Profeffors of true faith and holinefs , co- hdbitin<T and confentingy are a true Church ? and when they contradict that Profeffion by wicked anions, ( BoBrine or life ) thej are to be dealt^ith by Difci- flim. Though I confefs in our ^raEiife we very much differ ^ moji that 1 know running into one of the ex- tr earns-, of loofnefs or rigor.
3. ?w| T third and /afi Recjuefi is, that all the faiths '^' ful Minivers of Chrifl would without any more delay Vnhe and Affociarefor the furtherance of each other in the work^ of the Lord, a7id the maintain- in'T of Vnitj and Concord in his Churches, And that they would not neglcEl their Brotherly meetings to thofi ends, nor yet fpend them unproftably, but improve them to their edification , and the effectual carrying on the worl^. Read that excellent Letter of Edmond Grindal Arch-Bljhop of Canterbury to jQ^Elkabeth, /c^r Mi- ni flerial meetings and exercifes ( fuch Bifhops would have prevented our contentions and wars : ) Tou may \ fee it in Fullers nevp Hiftory of the Church of Eng-'' 'land. j
And let none draw bacl^ that accord in the fubffan*] tials of faith andgodlinefs : Tea if fome jhould think,'; themfelves neceffitated ( I will not fay to Schifm,leafi< I offend them • but) to feparate in pub like worjhip fronts the refiy me thinks, if they be indeed Chrifiians * the^
fieuld
The Preface
fhould he willing to holdfo much Communion with them as they ran, and to confult how to manage their diffenn- ces to the Icafl dlfadvanta(Te to the common truths and Chriftian canfe which they all frofcfs to own and pre- fer.
And here I may mt [ilently pafs by an uncharitable Jlander which fome Brethren of the Prelatical Judge- ment have divuined of me far and near • vi<,. That while Iperfwade men to Accommodation , it was long of me that the late Proclamation or Ordinance was pro- cured, for filcncing aH Se^uefired Alinifiers -^ vi-z.. by the late Worccdci'ihirc Petition, which they fay was the occafion of it ( and they fal fly report that I altered it after theftibfcrlption.) To which Ifay, i . It was the Petition of many Jtiftices, and the grand fmy , and thofifandsoftheCounty,aswe/lasme. 2. There is not a word in it. nor ever was, againfl any godly man , btit only that the notorioujly infnffcient and fcandalons fhould not be permitted to meddle with the myfleries of Chrifi ( fpecially the Sacraments -^ ) which we de fired p9Quld have impartially extended to all parties aliks» Andfo much of this as was granted , we cannot but be thanJrful for , whoever grudge at it •, and wifh it had been fully o ranted. 3 . I defer e nothing more, then that all able, godly, faithful Adiniflers of what fede foever i i our late State di^erences,may mt only have liberty, h%t encouragement : Tor the Church hath mt any fuch to jpare, were they ten times more. In a word •, / would have thofe of what party foever to have Liberty to preach the Gofpel, whofe err ours or mifcarriages are noli fo great, as that probably they will do as much hurt as good,
Brethr^en, I crave your pardon for the infirmities of
(c z) thii
The Preface.
thi^ addrefs: And earneftly longing for thefuccefs of your Labours, I fly all daily leg of Godythat hervofild per- fwdde joti to thofe duties which Jhave hererequejted you to perform , and would preferve and pro/per yoH therein, againjl all the Serpentine fubtiltj and rage that is rum tngaged to oppofe and hinder you.
April 15. 1656.
Your unworthy fellow-fervant,
Rich. Baxter.
To
v?r77tr ???v9?f y^7?f?7?7
TO
The Lay- Reader.
H E reafon why I have called this vo* liimn ^ thefirjl Tart of the book, is bccaufe I intend, if God enable me^and give me rime, Si Second Tart^ containing the duty of the people in relation to their Paftors, and therein to fhew ; i. The Right and Necefsity of a Miniftry. 2. The way to know which is the true (c 3 ) Church
Te the Lay-^aJer.
Church and Mioiftry , and how we juftifie our own caUing to this office , and how falfe Prophets and Teachers muft be difcerncd. ^. How far the people muft afsifl: the Paftors in the work of the Gofpel , and the Pallors put them on ^ and make ufc of them to that end* And 4. How far the peo- ple mnft fubmit to their Paftors, and what other Duty they muft perform in that Relation » But becaufe my time and ftrength is fo uncertain, that I know not whether I may live to pu» blifh my yet-imperfcd: preparations onthisfubjecl,! darenot let this firfl: Part come into your hands, without a word of caution and advice;, left you fliould mifunderftand or mifapply it.
I. The caution that I muft give
yoUj is in two parts.' >
^' 1. Entertain not any unworthy
^^'^' I thoughts
To the Lny-%eader, thoughts of your Paftors ^ becaufe we here confefs our own fins^and ag- gravate them in order to our humilia* tionand reformation. You know it is men and not Angels that are put by God in the office of Church- snides ! And you know that we are imperfe(ft men : Lee Papifts and Quakers pre- tend to a finlefs perfedion ; we dare not do it ; but confefs that we are finners. And we fliould heartily re* Joyce to find the figns of imperfect fincerity, in them that (o confidently pretend to finlefs perfedicn ^ yea if I in lome of them we could find but common honefty , and a freedom 1 from fome of the crying abominati- ons of the ungodly , fuch as cruel bloodinefs, lyings flandering, railing^ 0*c. If it would make a man per- fect to fay he is perfed:^ and if ic would deliver a man from fin^ to fay (C4) I
To the Lay 'Reader. I have no fin , I confefs this were an cafie way to perfed/on-
There is one Richard Farnworth cal- led a Quaker^ that harh lately publiili- cd a Tamphlet againft our Agveemenc for Catech/zing; . and the fubftance of it is this : becanfe we confcis that by negledling that work of the Lord, we have finned ^ and do beg pardon of our mifcarriages ^ and lay that by Nature weave children of vvratb,and prone to do evil , isrc. therefore he will prove us deceivers and no Mi- nifters of Chrift , as from our own Confefsion. As if tht*y that are Dead by Nature, may not be made alive by Grace ! And as if ^re is not as proper a term as JFere ^ when wc fpeak of the ftate of all mankind in their natural condition , wherein the moft do ftiU abide ! And as if the confefsing our fin would prove us to
45e
To the Lay^^eader.
be ungodly ! O fhamclefs men ! God laichj He that confeflech andfor- faketh his fin fliall have mercy. And the Quaker maketh it a matter of his reproach. loJm faith ^ if we confefs, he is faithful and juft to forgive : And the Quaker maketh it a figrt-that wc are not forgiven. God will not for- give us^ if ivc rcfufe to confefs : And the Quaker makes us unpaidoncd, be- caufe wc do it. What would this wretch have faid to David ^E:^a^ Nehe^ mlah^ T>a?uel, &c« if he had lived in their daics, who made fuch full con- fefsions of their fins ! God hit them not in the teeth with them ; but the Quakers will ! Chrifl: did forgive even Meters denyal of him ! but it fecms the Quaker would have condemned him for the penitent lamenting of it.- i Is ^W damned for confefsinghincifelf I the chief of finners ( of whom 1 am
chiefs
To the Lay-Deader.
chief, ( I Tim. i. 15O and that formerly he was a peifecutor, blafphemerj ci^r. Orbccaule he faith,£p/> ^, 8- ymo me, who am lefs then the leafi of Saints. Or for crying out , 0 wretched man that 1 am ^ who Jhall deliver me from the body of this death ! What I would that / do not, and what I hate that do L I find a Law, that when 1 would do good, ea)d is prejent with me, &CC, Rom. 7. 14» 15. ii- Or is i/aiah a wicked man ^ and no Prophet of God, for laying , Ifois me^ ^ am undone, becauje ^ am a man of unclean lips^ isrc. Ifa. 6. y Or ^acoh , for faying , Gert,7^i,\0' I am not worthy of the lea/l of aH thy mercies, &CC. Or ^ob for abhor- ring himfelf in duft andafhes^ iob\ 41, 6. It irketh me to fpend words upon fuch Impudent revilers 1 But in this much you have a fufficicnt Reply to his book. ^^ .. But for our pStts we believe that he
that
to the Ldy^^ader.
that faith he hath no fin, deceivcth himfclf,and the truth is not in him ^ I lobi \* 8* and that in many things we offend all, hinu yi. and we profefs to know but in part, and to have our treafure in earthen veffels, and to be infufficient for thefe things. And therefore fee that you love and imitate the hoHnefs of your Paftors, but take not occafion of dil^-efteeming or re- proaching them for their infirmi- ties.
2. I take it to be my duty as a watchman for your fouls ^ to give you notice of a train that is laid for your perdition.The Papifl:s who have found that they could not well play their game here with open face, have mask- ed themf elves, and taken the vizards of feveral fects ; and by the advantage of the licence of the times, arc bufily at work abroad this Land, to bring
you
To the Lay-^ader.
you back to Rome* What names or garb foever they bear^ you may ftrongly conjedturc which be they by thele marks following- i. Their main defign is to unfettle you, and to make you believe that you have been all this while mifled, and to bring you to a lofs in a matter of Religion, that when they have made you diflike or fufpedt that which you had ( or feemed to have) you may be the more refpecStive of theirs, i- To which end their next means is to bring you to fufpeit firft , and then to con- temn and rcjed your Teachers. For faith Rujhworth^ one of their Writers , Kot one of ten among the people indeed do ground their faith on the Scripture , hut on the credit of their teachers^ &c« therefore they think, if they can but bring you to fufped your teachers, and Co to re- jcd them, they may deal With the
iheep
To the Lay^<B^eader. flieep without the Shepherds , and di- rpute with the Scholars without their Teachers, aud quickly make you fay what their Hft. To this end their dc- fign is partly to cry them down as falie teachers ( but how are they baffled when it comes to the proof? ) and partly to perfwade you that they have no caUing to the work 5 and urge them to prove their caUing ( which how eafily can we do ? ) and partly to work upon your covetous humour , by crying down tythes, andallefta- blifbed maintenance for the Miniftry- And withal they arc bufie yet in con- triving how to procure the Governors of the Nation , to withdraw their publique countenance and mainte- nance, and facnlcgioufly to deprive the Church ot the remnant that is de- voted to it for God, and to leave the Mifiiftry on equal terms with them.
fclves
Tothe Lay-^eadcr. fclves or all other feds ( which in Spain^ Italy^ France^ &c. they will be loth to do.) And time will flievv you, whether God will luffer them to prevail with the Governors of this iinful land to betray the Gofpel into their handSjOr not ? but we have rea- fon to hope for better things, j. Their next de(ign,is to diminifli the Autho- rity, and fufficiency of Scripture : and becaule they dare not yet fpeak out y to tell us what they fet up in its ftead , fome of them will tell you of New Prophets, and Revelations , and ibme of them will tell you, that in that they arc yet at a lofs themfelves : that is ^ they are of no Religion • and then they are no Chriftians. I fliall now proceed no further in the disco- very : but only warn you,as you love your rouls,keep clofe to Scripture and a faithful Miniftry ! and defpife not
youf
To the Lay^Reader. your Shepherds if you Would efcapc the wolves, if any qucftion our cal- ling, fend them to our writings where we have fully proved them ; or fend them to us, who are ready to juftific them againft any Papifl: or Heretick upon earth. And let me tell you, that for all the fins of the Miniftry which we have here confefled, the knjown world hath not a more able, faithful, godly Miniftry then ^rittain hath at this day. If at the Synod of Dort the Clerus Anglicanm was czWcAflupor ynundi^ before all thofe Ignorant and Scanda- lous ones were caft out ; what may we now call it ? Brethren, let me deal freely with you ! The ungrateful con- tempt of a faithful Miniftry , is the fhame of the faces of thoufands in this Land! and if through-Repentance prevent it not, they (hall better know in hell, whether fuch Miniftcrs were
their
To the Lay-^ader. their friends or foes^ and what they would have done ^or them , if their counfel had been heard. When the Mejjejigers of God were mocked^ and hts words defpifed^ and his Trophets abu/ed^the wrath of the Lord aroje on the ^/raelites them/elves: and there was ?io remedy^! Chro. J 6. 1(5. shall Minifters ftudy , and preach, and pray for you, andfhall they be defpifed ? When they have the God of Heaven and their own confciences to witnefs; that they defire not yours but you, and are willing to fpend and be (pent for your fakes, and that all the wealth in the world would not be regarded by them in compari- fon of your falvation, and that all their labours and fufFerings is for your ! fakes.if yet they fhallbe requited with your contempt^or fcorn,or dicourage- ing unteachablenefs , fee who will prove the lofers in the end.When God
himfelf
To the Lay-Reader. himfelf fhall Juftifie and Condemn thena, with a Well do?ie good and faith- ful fernjant j let thofe chat reproached, defpifed, and condemned chem^ de- fend their faces from fliame^and their confciences from the acculations of their horrid ingratitude , as well as they can ! Read the Scripture and fee, whether they that obeyed Gods Mef- 1 fengers, or they that defpifed and dif- obeyed them fped beft ? And if any of the Seducers will tell you, that we are not the Minifters of Chrift, leave them not, till they tell you, which is his true Church and Miniftry, and where they are ? and by that time they have well anfwered you , you may ( know more of their minds.
I }. My laft advice to yoii^ this. Sec >, that you Obey your faithful Teachers,
II and improve their help for your faU ,(1 ration while you have it ; and take
(d) heed
heed that you refule not to learn when they would teach you. And in par- ticular, fee that you refule not to lub- mit to them in this duty of Private Tnftruvftion, which is mentioned in this Treatifc. Co to them when they dellre you, and be thankful for their help. Yea and at other times when yru need their advice, go to them of your own accod^, and ask it- Their office is to be your guides in the way to hfe:If you feelc not their DirciftioU;, it feems you either defpife lalvation it fclfjOr elfe you are fo Proud as to think your felves fufficient to be your own Dire(5lorS' Shall God in mercy fend you Leaders to Teach you and Con- du(5l you in the way to Glory, and will you ftoutly lend them back, or refufe their afsiflance^ and fay, Wc have no need of their Dire6tion ? is it for their own cafe or gain that they
trouble
To the Lay-Deader.
trouble you, or is it for your own everlafting gain ? Remember that Chrift hath laid to his Mellengcrs, He that defpifeth you, defpifeth me ! if your obftinate refufal of their Inflni- (5lion , do put chem to bear vvitnefs againft you in Judgement, and to fay, Lord^l would hanje taught the fe ignorant Jinners^ and admonijhed thefe worldly impe^ nitent wretches ^ but they would not fo much as come to me^ nor [peak with me ! look you to it, and anlwer itas you can ; For my part I would not be then in your cafe for all the world. But I fhall fay no more to you on this point, but only defire you to read and confidcr the exhortation , which is publifhed in our Agreement it felf which fpeaks to you more fully:
(Vnd if you read this book, remember hatthcDuty which you find to be- ong to the Minifters,doth flicw alfo ( d 2 ) what
To the La^'^eader, what belongs to your felves. For it cannot be our duty to Teach^ Cate- chize, Adviie, crc. if it be not yours to riear, and Learn^ and leek Advice. If you have any temptation to quefti- on our office^read the London Minifters Jus Diui?ium Munfter- Enjang^ and Mr. T/?o. lB^//y book for the Miniftry : if you doubt of the duty of learning the Principles^ and being Catechized, read the London Minifters late Exhor- tation to Catechizing, apd Mr* Zach. Croftons book for Catechizing ( now newly pubhfhed.)
^^ril i6. 1656-
^h^ "Baxter.
Dr. H. Hammond of the Power of theKeyes, cap. 4.. fedt. io.|. pag. 113.
^T ^ 7" tijnd/y, there will he little matter of J doubt or con' rover fie, hut that private , frequent ^ If (ritual conference betwixt fclhw-thrijUans^ hut efpectally {and in matters of high concernment and difficulty ) between the fresbper and thofe of his charge , even in the time of health •, and peculiarly^ that part of it, which is Jpent in the difcufston of every mans Ipecialfns and infirmities, and inclinations may prove very ufeful and advantagious ( in or- der to fpirttual dire^tons^ reproof and comfort ) to the making the man of Cod pafeci. And to Ull truth ^ if the Pride and fdfconceit of fomCy the wretchlefncfs of ethers, the baflfulncf of a \third forty the naufeating ^ and injlant fttiety of \any good in a fourth^ the follies of men^ and ar- \tifices of Satan had mt put thispra^ice quite \$ut of fafhion among us , there is no doubt but \more good might be done by Minifiers this way , ^hen is now done by any other means feparated
( ^ 3 ) from
from the ufe of this particHlarly,^ thenhphat of Puhlike Preachmg ( rvhich yet neei not be neg- levied the more rvhen this is ufed' ) which hath now the fate to be crjedup, and almojl feUly de- fended on^ it being the hkelyerway^as Qointiliaii faith, ( comparing Publike andprtvate teaching §f jouth ) to fill narrow mouth' d bottles ( and^ fucb are themoft of us ) by taking themfmgle in the hand^ and pouring in w^ter into each^ then by fetting them altogether^ and throwing never Jo many bottles of rvater on them.
Mr.
mi^m.m.mmm.m
if/Vfr. VViliiam Gurnal in his excellent 'Bool{^ called ^ T^hc Qhrijlian in compleat Armour, pag. 1,5.
H E icnoranc foul feels no fuch (mar
J If the Minifter ftay till he tends for him to inftruft hira, he may fooner hear the bell go for him, than any MeiVenger come for him .- You muftfeek themout^ and not exped that they will come to you. Thefe are a lort of people that arc afraid more of their Reiredy, than their difeafe , and ftudy more to hide their ignorance, then how to have it cured ; which lliould makeuspitty them the more, becaufe they can pitty them- 'felves fo little. I confefs it is no fmall un- ihappinefs to fome of us, who have to do with la multitude, that we have neither time nor jftrength to make our addreffes to every parti- :ular perfon in our Congregations, and at- tend on them as their needs require •, and yet rannot well fatisfie our coofciences other- vife. But let us look to it , that though we (d 4; cannot
cannot do to the height of what we would,we be not found wanting in what we may. Let not the difficulty of our Province make us Hke fome 5 who when they fee they have more i work upon their hands, than they can well j difpaichjgrow fickof it, and fit down out of I
alazydefpondeocyjand do juft nothing. ■ i
O if once our hearts were but filled with Zeal for God and compaflion to our peoples fouk, we would up and be doing, though we could but lay a brick a day • and God would be with us. May be, you who find a people rude and fottiflily ignorant,like (tones in the quarry and trees unfell'd, fliall not bring the work to fuch perfection in your daies as you defire ! Yet as David didkr Solomon, thou mayfl: by thy pains in teaching and inftru(!^ting them 3 prepare materials for another, whofhall rear the Temple.
Read the reft.
The
THE
CONTENTS.
CHAP. I.
SeA. I. "TTH^ brief exfUcmon of theTsxt.
1 Sed. 2. what Jon «/ JE/^frj r/E^f; nf^^,
r/?/*^ Paul fpoke to. ^
Sed. 3. The DoUrine and Method. Sed. 4. T/7f terms opened, Sed. 5,6, 7,^»^8. ivhereinmmfifitAk^heed to optr
felves, Sed. 9. f<? 1 6. T^^ moving Reafons toTaki heedtocfir
felves.
CHAP.
The Contents.
CHAP. II.
Sedl. I . ^^ Hat it is to T^ke heed to all the Flocks ?
Its impljied that every Flock^ have
their own Paflor •, and that regular Ij the Floch^be
no greater then the Pafiors may over-fee^ taking heed
to all.
Sect. 2. Theendsof this Over fight.
Sect. 3 . Of theftibjetl of this worl^
Sect. 4. Of the Objefl of it. 1 . The unconverted. 2. The converted. I. Thf yoking and weaker. l.Thofe that labour under fame (pecial dijlempers. 3 . Dccli- ners. 4. That are fallen under fome great Tempta- tion. 5. The difc on folate. 6.Theflrong.
Sect. 5. of the aciion it f elf. I. Publike Preaching. 2. Sacraments. 3. Publik^ prayer, and prai/e, and benedtclion. 4. Over fight of the members diflin^-ly. I. Knowing them. 2. Infirutiing the ignorant.
,3. Advifingthertt that feek^advicc. 4. Looking to particular Families. How. 5 . Refifling fedu^ion. 6. Encourageing the obedient. J. Vtfitingthe fick^ 8. Comforting. 9. Private admonifhingoff-nders. 10. Morepublik^Difciplinf. i. Publik^e admoni- tion. How. 1. Publikf exhortation to open difcovery of Repentance. 3 . Publike p'/^^jingfor the offender.
4. To affifl the penitent, confirming, abfolving.^ 8cc.
5. Rejecting the obfiinately impenitent from our Communioif. 6. Reception of the penitent. The
manner
The Contents.
manner and necefftty of thefe 4^s» Making Lar^s for the Church u not onr rvork^
CHAP. III.
OF the manner and concomitants of cur worl^ It muft be done, i . Purely for God, andnotforfelf 2 . Labor ion fly and diligently. 3 .Prudently ^ orderly, 4. Inftfting mofl on the Greatefi andmofl Necejfary things. 5. Hith Plainnefs and Evidence. 6. In a fenfe of our infufficiency and dependance on Chrifi, 7. In Humility andCondefcention. 8. A mixture of feverity and mildnefs. 9. With JjfeRionateferi- eufnefs. i o. Reverently and fpiritually. ii. In tender love to our people. 12. Patiently. And yve mufl he ftudion^ ofVnion and Communion among onr felves^tindof the Vnity and peace of the Church.
CHAP. IV.
Sect. I. C^HE firfi Vfe for our humWation : Con- fifflng the fins of the Miniflry •, efpeciaUj of this Nation ^ heretofore. Sect. 2. A confeffien of our pre fent fins. SpeciaUy-^
I. Pride. Sect. 3 . 2. An undervaluing the Vnity and Peace of the CafhoUke Church,
Sect.
The Contents.
5i^CC. 4. 3 . Want of feriou4, induliriom , unreferved laying out onrftlves in the vifork^ of God. Difcovered I. By negligent jlndies.
Sect . 5 . 2 . By dull drowfie^ preaching .
Sect. 6. 3 . ^j not helping them that want abroad.
Sect. 7. 4. ^j negle^ of acknowledged Duties. E. G. Church Difciprme. The pretences confuted, that ipouldixfiifie it.
Sect. 8. $. By the Power of worldly carnal inter efls. AUmfefled^ i . By temforiz^ing. 2. Worldly hn fi- ne fs. 3 . Barrennefs in workj of Charity.
Sect. 9. Applyedfor Humiliation.
CHAP. V.
Sect.
I. ^JSE of Exhortation. Motives in the\ ^ text. I . From our ojfce and Relation to
all the Flockj, with fome fubfervient c on fi derations. Sect. 2. 2. From the efficient caufe : the Holy -G ho jl. Sect. 3 . 3 . From the Dignity of the Objefi. Sect. 4. 4. From the price paid for the Church. Sect. 5 . A more particular exhortation, i . To fee that
the faving work^ of grace be wrought on our own
hearts. A word to Tutours and Schoolmaflers. Sect. 6. 2. Keep Grace in vigour and aBivity , and
preach to your own hearts prfi •, for your workjake- Sect. 7. 3'. Stir up your fe Ives to thetvorl^, and do it
with all your might. Sect. 8. 4. Keep ftp earneft de fires and expetlations of
fuccefs,
Sect,
The Contents.
Sect. 9. $. Be z,ealou6 of good workj- Sfare no coft.
Sect. 10. 6. Maintain Vnion and Commimion. Ths way thereto.
Sect. II. 7. PraElifefo much of Difiipiine, a^ is cer- tainly jour duty.
Sec t . 1 2 . S.Fai thfully difcharge thu duty of per final Catechi^ng and Infirtt^lion of aH theFlocI^
CHAP. VI.
Sect. I . T> Eafonsfor this Duty, i . From the Be- XV nefits. The great Hopes we have of a blejfedfuccefs ef thu yvork if faithfully managed ^ S hewed tn ZO. particulars.
kct. 2 . 2 . From the Difficulty of this tvork^.
Sect. 3 . 3 . From the Necejfnj of it : Tvkich u mani- fold.
Sect. 4. Vfie : ivhat great canfe of HHmiliation we have for negleiiing thisfo long.
5ect. 5. An Exhortation to the faithful performance of this work' Twenty aggravations of our fin, and witnejfes which will condemn the wilful refufers of fo great duties, a^ this Private Inflruhion, and Difii- fline are.
Sect. 6. The ObjeQions of lazy unfaithful Minifiers, Mgainft Perfonal Injirn^ion and Catechizing, an- fmred.
CHAP.
The ContenCf
CHAP. VII.
Sect. I . r^ JreBioftf to the lefs experienced, for the L-/ right managing of this work^. I . For
hinging onr People tofnbmit to it. Sect. 2 . 2. To doit fo as is likejl to fuccced. i . For the
Converfion of the ungedly , and awaking of thefe-
cure. In trvelve Dire^ions.
CHAP. VIII.
DJreEiions how to deal with felf-conseited Opinio- nijis, and to prevent ur cnre Erronr and Schifm \ in our People. And how to deal with thofe of whofe condition we are between hope and fear ■
Readers,
Readers, you will right me, and eafe your felves , if you will mend thefe mif-Printings with your pen , before you read the book.
FVg. 46. II. 1 4. for confcierce read cofjfcrefice j p. 90. 1. 9. r. rr>0)Wido > p. ^^^. 1. 4. blot cut that\ p. 106. 1. 19. blot cue ;#J ; p. J 1^1. I J. r. ^y/ J p. 115. I. 19. after ui^mr, it I p. > 3 5- '• ^5* ^'/fe^k'^gfor j p. H^. I. penulr. r. iefmioni p. 144.1. i6.T.bi^,iomcal\ p. i45.1.i^ r. «/f/tt/ 5 p. 146.I.18. r. ^f/r^y ) p. » 50. 1. 16. r. contrive i p. 168. J. antlpen. r.fn > p. i8o. I. antlprn. r. that , p. 186. 1. ^. r. hottonm^ p. 188. 1.15. and p. 189. 1. 8. r. ft (iki ; p. lo^. 1. id. ioi fljimth r. tbnveth\ p. 211. 1.8. ihti andr.ihcn jp. ii^ I. 17. blot out /c>: p. 117. I. 17. after cfi//r. ikw : p. ixi. 1. 18. r. ihe- p. ^86. J. 11. r. goh^ to Chunh : p. 1^9. 1. 9, 10. r. continncd : and 1. 20. r.feey p. i90. 1. 1 5. r. conipofe ; and 1. 17. r. will never 5 and 1. i4. r. fervc i and 1. i8. r. confcfsiom 5 p. 148. 1. 14. r , promi (ftombusi p. ^c9. ), II. fcr h It not r. It U not ; p. J 14. 1. 2-0. for recover X. cover y p. J39. 1. 24. for//)r r. ro 5 p. 341. 1. 9- ioither. thati p. J 4 3. 1.2. 2. r. frofccutlon 5 p. J51. l.ii. for w(?/f r. «7«yj p. gS^. 1. ii.r. s^iyjhct h p. 377.1. 25 x.ufeit j and ). 27. r.awrf thatfe^ i p. 578. ]. 19. r. ij w . p. jS^. I. 23. (or kyfuchrjhnn ky tilling Inch *, p. ^89. 1. ulr. for One r. 3fr J p. 390. 1. 17. for prfifijfion r. proper place 5 p. 394. 1. 10. r. fofar as > p. 3 98. 1. 21. for (enfual La\arm r. /f»/«fl/ La':^nefs ; and 1. 27. r. Hiknawledg- tdi p. 40J. 1. 19. r./^ow i;;w 5 p. 401. j. 10. for I fay r. They . pjf S p. 4^9. ]. 10. r. i>gain^ d /^ j p. 4 1 8 . 1 . 1 i. for profefs r. poj- fefs i and I. 14. r. ifunyhave y p. 422. 1. 2. r. ra live leng > p. 430. 1. 5. for elocution r. ek&ion j and ]. 29. fcr 0/ r. /bit i p.
II 45 1. 1. 20. for of tb^t 5 r. of Chrifi ; p. 4 3 8. 1. 1 5. for them r. ^'«;p. 442. 1. ii.r,tothe bean 5 p. 444.I. i^.r.bcfet'yip. 44f' 1.7.forwf r./<>. p. ^$9,1. 19.(01 till then r.teU thefT' p.46j.
. 1. p?nulr. for they r. /i^<zf. and 1. ulr. for //;f/<? r. the Church.
' P- 467. 1. 1. for loathed r. teothed. p. 4^9- ^or eLthfom r, c^;y«-
Gildas Sahianm ;
THE
REFORMED
V h S T O R.
■ ' ' -f
Act s 20. 20.
Tak^t heed therefore toyour fehes^aftd to all the Flock, over the which the Holy qhofl hath made jou Over- feers^ to feed the Ch'^rch of God^wkich he hath pttT" ::hafed wth his own blood.
CHAP. L SECT. I.
' kevereTtd and Dearly Beloved %etkren^
^j Hough
fomethink that Funis Exhorta^ tion to thcfe Elders, doth prove him their Ruler, we hope, who arc this day to fpeak to you from the Lord , that wc may freely do the like , with' out any jealoulies of iuch a Conduiion. Though we ccach our people as Officers fee over them in the
B Lord,
2 Gildas Salvianus ;
Lord, yet may wc teach one another, as Brethren in Office as well as in Faith. Jf the people of our charge muft teach andadmomfli, and exhort each other daily. Col. 3.16. Hck 3 . 1 3 . no doubt Teach- ers may do it to one another without any fuperemi- nency of power or degree. VVe have the fame fins to kill, and the fame graces to be quickned and cor- roborated, as our people have; we have greater works then they to do^and greater difficulties to over- come, and no lefs neceifity is laid upon us; and there- fore we have need to be warned and wakened, if not to be inftruf^ed, as well as they : So that I confefs I think fuch meetings (hould be more frequent , if w/c had nothing elfe to do together but this : And as plainly and cl®fcly (hould we deal with one another, as the mofl feriousamongus da with their Flocks; left if only they have the (harp admonitions and re- proofs , they only fhould be found and lively in the Faith. That this was Pauls judgement, I need no other proof, then this rowfing heart-melting exhor- tation to the Ephefian Elders : A (hort Sermon 5 but not foon 1 -arnr. Had the Bifhops and Teachers of the Church but throughly learned this (hort ex- hortation, though with the negleft of many a Vo- lumn which hath taken up their time, and helpt them to greater applaufe in the world, how happy had it been for the Church and them I
Our prefent ftraitsof time will allow me to touch upon no part of it but my Text ; which, fuppofing y^nr/the fpeaker,and the Eplotjine Eldcfi his hearers, containeth, i. A two-fold duty. 2. A four- fold motive to enforce it. !
The firft duty U to Tnks kt^ to thmfelvei. The j
fccond
The Reformed Tajlor: 3
fecond is, to take heed to aU the Tlock^, And the main work for the Flock which is thus hccdfully to be done, is expreflcd , even to feed ikem , or pi^) the Shepherds for them.
The motives clofely laid togcthtr arc thefe. !• From their engagement and Relation ; They arc the Over-fecrs of the Flock ; It is their offkc, 2. From the efficient caufe ; even the authority and excellency of him that called them to it : which wa« the Holy Ghoft. 5. From the dignity of the objeA, which is the matter of their charge ; It is the Church of God : the moft excellent and honourable focicty in the world. 4. From the tender regard that Chr ift hath to this Church,and the price it coft him : He purchafed it with his own blood. This Motive is part- ly fubordinate to the former. The terms of the Text havcnofuchdifHcultyas toallow me the fpcnding of mnch of our little time for their explication. 'o^oT^yj-iVy here; is, maxima cnra (^ diligentU ammum 4»dhibere\ mlixviov , 2is'fan[(mtu and Others note, a little Flock. It fignifieth not here the whole Church of Chrift, which elfewhcreis called ^iu.'t,r, in re- ference to Chrift the great Shepherd ; but it figniHeth that particular Church which thefe Hide s had a fpc- cial charge of. Whether that was one or many , wc (ball enquire anon. VVhat is meant by g'^nrxT^f, Biibops or Ovcr-feers hcrc,is thus far agreed on,thaC they were Officers appointed to Teach and Cvi.it ; thofc Churches in the way to falvacion ; and that it lis the fame pcrfons thac are called Eiders of the Church of Ephcfi^s before , ai il Bidiops here. Of . -whom more anon. The verb s-^ttj, fcemethhereto ' import both the Qaalification, Ordination, and par-
B 2 ticular
4 Gildas Salvianus;
ticulardcfignation of chcfe Elders or Bifhops to their charge : for we muft not limit and exclude without necefsity. The Holy Ghoft did by all thefc three vvaics make them Over-fcers of their Flocks, i. By qualifying them with fuch gifts as m.^de them fit for ic 2. By direding the minds of thofe that Ordained them to thcminiilery. ^ By difpofing both their own minds, and the Ordainers, and the peoples for the affixing them to that particular Church rather then another. D.cit eos confiitutos a fpintufanElo , h\th grot lU ft juia con/i It fit iera-ic alf ApoftoLs \ienii fpiritu [akEIo^ tjuan^jHam afp^vhxnte plebe • But no doubt, in thofc rimes the Holy Ghoil did give fpeci- al direftions as by internal oracle, for the difpofal of particular teachers, as we read in the cafe oi Saul and Barnahas , and for the provifion for particular Congregations.
Uci/uMivHv Tbu'tAK^iirriay^ IS by fome tranfla- ted barely to feed^ as ours here ; by others only to Rule ; but indeed as Gcrhird^ fanfeni- tUt and others notc,it is not to be reftrained to cither, but containeth in it all thePadoral work. In one word it is FafJorem a^ere^ to do the work of a Paftof to the Flock Wheth-r it be the E^htfifie Congrega- tion before called "Tv^ifjAnv, that is here called f'^^ww- ttfTK ;&VB, or whether it be the Univerfal Church which they may be faid to feed and Rule , by doing their part towards it in their ftation ( as a Juftice of Peace may be faid to rDle the Land) is not a matter of mKch moment to be ftood upon; but the former feems moft likely to be the fenfe ; mpiiTiziiioTx-n)^ is both a-^ffijivit 0' fijj fruit & infuam vindicavit. Its faid
CO be done by the blood of God, by a Communicati- on
The ^formed Vajhr. j
on of the names of i\\t diftind natures .• And it af- fords us an argument againll tde A rUns^ feeing Chnft is here cxprefly called God.
SECT. W.
B
U T it is neceffary before we proceed ro Inftru- dion and Application, that we be refolved more clearly who thofe Elders or Bi(hops be that I'aul do:h here exhort. I amdclirous todo all chat law- fully I may to avoid controverfie , ef^ecialiy in this place, and on fuchoccafions ; But here it is unavoid- able, becaufe all our following application w.il mjch depend upon the explication : and if you (hall once fuppofe that none of this Exhortation was fpoken to men in your office and ca;acicy ; no wonder if you pafs ic over and let it alone and take all that I (hall hence gather for your pradife, as impertinent. Thi5 Text was wont to be thought molT: ap: to awaken the Mmifters of the Gofpel to their duty .• but of late the negligent are gratified with the News, (iot news ; it is) that only Bifhops in a f pereminent fenfe^ whom wc ufuallycall Prelates, are fpoken to in this Text ; and not only fo. but that no other fexc of Scripture doth fpeak to any other Church Presbyters (certainly; but them ; yea, that no other were in being in Scripture times. Here arc two Queftions before us to be refolded, t. VV!ie:her the Elders here mentior.ed were the Elders o' one Church of Epheffii, or of all that part of ^'fii, that is , of every Church one. This is but in order to the fecondjwhich is, whether thefe Elders were only Pre-
B I lates.
6 Gildas Salvianus 5
|ate$, or fuch Bifhops as among us have carried that name.
The reafons that may be brought to prove thefe PC be the Prelates of the fevcral Cities of y^fiut and that the mv -n -^jiiviov^ is thofe many Cities, are thefe following. I. The affirmation oi Iren^ni* To which we fay ; i . There might be many Elders of Ephefns prcfent, though fome from the neereft Cities were there alfo : which is all that Irttt^tu affirms. 2. We oppofe to the faying of Irendut the ordinary expofi- tion of the antients : The moft fingular is of leaft authority, c^teru parihus.
2. It may be faid that P*<«/ calls them to remem- ber how he bad been among them three years , not ceafing to warn every one, &c. But he was not three years at Sphefus only, but in Afta^ &c. Anfvf. He may be faid to be where his chief place of abode is. He that rcfidcth ordinarily at Epbeffu , though he thence make frequent excurfions to the neighbour parts, may well be faid to abide fo long at Ephefus, And the Ephcfian Elders might well be acquainted with his induftry round about them, though here is no certainty that he mcntioneth any more then what he dfd with them. For what he did in Ephefus, he did in Jfta , as that which is done in London is done in Sn^Und, Ob], 3. But it is meant of all Afia^ for he faith , Among whom I h^vc ^one^ ^c. ^*}ft». I. As though Tau/ might not ^0 preaching theCol'pel in £phr/u< ? 2. If he wenc further, the Ephefim Elders might accompany him. O^. Sphefus was the Metro- polis, and therefore all Afia might be thence denomi- nated. Anf^, i.Itmuftbe proved that it wasfo denominated. All Fr^nct is not called Paris , nor
ail
The Reformed ^ajlor. 7
tW England Londoyi, 2. It is not whole Countries, but a Church that P^ul fpeaks ofj and it is yet un- proved that the Church of one City had then ^y liich dcpendancc or. the Church of another City^ as lefler Cities had upon the Metropolis
Our Rea'ons that make us think that either all or many of thefe Elders or BiOiops were over the par- ticular Church of Ephe m^ arc thefe. j . It is exprcf- ly faid in the Text .. that they were Elders of the Church,rcferring to Sp^eftis next before mentioned. He ffnt to Ephefus , and called, the Elders of ttot Church. And it cannot be proved in all the New Tc- ftament that the Bi(hop5 of other Churches and Ci- ties, arc called Bifhops of a greater City, becaufc ic is the Metropolis. 2. Here is mention but of one Church and one Flock in the fingular number , and not of many : when yet ic is acknowledged that he fpeakech not of the Univcrfal Church (for then that language were not Itrange ) but of a particular Church. And it is the ufeof the Apofiles to fpeak ftill in the plural number when the/ mention the particular Churches of many Cities, and not to call them all one Church or Flock. 3. And it may fcem elfethattheEldcrof each one of thefe Cities hath a charge of all the reft. For they arc required to take heed of all the Flock : which though it may pofiibly be by taking every one his part, yet if one ihould fail , the reft fcem to have his charge upon them, which is more then tliey can do. 4". Paul was now in fo great haft in his journey to jerufuUm, that Ltike meafureih it out by the dales. And it is not J'.Kc that Taut could in fuch haft call the Elders from ihc fcverai Cities o^^ft. If he had pafted through
B 4 ths
8 Gildas Salvianus .
th: ErIttifliScasinfuchhaftc, and lodged at 7>//- mouth, and had thence called tu him the Elders of Taris^ht muft have ftaid many dayes or weeks , be- fore he could have gathered alfo the Bifhops of Rhemet^^^rles ^ Orleance ^ and the reft of f r^ -rr, 5 . T he numbers of Prophets and gifted men in thofc t mes, and the ftate of other particular Churches, doth give us fufficient reafon to conjefture that Ephe/us was not fofcant of help,3sto have but one Presbyter. Grotius thought that Jimothy with his Com-Presbyters made this appearance ; but ochers have given very probable reafons that Jimothj was none of them. 6. The Judgement of Expofitors antient and modern running fo commonly the other wav, commandech fome refpe(fl from us.
But I . I confefs the matter feemeth but conjcftu- ral on both fides, and neither pare to have a certain- ty ; but if probability may carry it, there fecms to be many of the Elders of Epheftf.^, though poflibly fome of the neighbouring ( ities mi<;hc be with them. 2. But let this go how it will, it maketh not much to the main matter in liand. What if Erhejus and each other City or Cliurch had then but one Presbyter f will it follow that he was a Prelate? No ; but the contrary : h will prove that there was then none fuch at all, if there were no fubjed Pref bytcr<:, I'or there is no Kinj: without fubje^^s ; nor iTjafter without fcrvMn-s. i. I he iheam of antient and modern Expoikorsdo take this Text to fpeak of Presbyters in the common fenfe. And we muft be rautelous before we be fingular in the expounding of fo many texts as fpeak the fame way. 2. If men be put now in the end of the world to find out a ntw
foundation
T^he Reformed TaBor. 9
foundation for Prelacy, luppofing that ic hath been airifs defended till new, and all thefc Texts (ex ej-)r. by one or two ) amifs expounJed , it will occafion the (baking of the frame it fclf. ^ But the bcft is^ wc begin to be pretty well agreed, at Icaft about the whole vJovernmen: that de faUo V!^s in beinrjin Scripture- times. For i . 1 1 is now at lall confefTed , that the word Presbyter is not certainly taken a ly where in the New \ ellament, for one bat is fubje:t CO a Bifhop,havmg not power of Ordination or Ju- rifdidion 4 and ihat no fuch Presbyters were in be- ing in Scripture-times. And by what authority they are fincc erected let chem prove that are concerned in it. 2. We are agreed now that they were the fame perfons who in Scrjprure arc called i^ilh ^pF-Sc Pres- byters. 3, ^- nd that tLefe perfons had the power of Ordination &:JurifdiAion 4.Andthat thefe perfons were not the : ifhops of many particular Churches, /)ut one only •• They ruled not many AfTembltes Or- dinarily meeting for Church Communion : for there could noluch meetirig? be kepr up without a Bifhop or Presbyter to adminiOcrtne Ordinances of Chrift in each. And if there were in a Diocefs bu: one ii- (hop, and no other Presbyters in Scripture times, then it muft needs be that a Diocefs contained buc one ordinary <. hurch AlTemhlv, and ihat d? f^Hn no Bifhip in ^ cripture-timcs had under him any Pref- byters, nor iriore fuch Afiemblics rhen one. '1 hat js, they Ruled the particular Churches juft as our Pa- ri!h PaftoR do. So that we are fattshed that we po that way that the Apoftles eftabliihedand was ufed ^f/^^oinScriprurc-timcs : And if any will prov^ the lawfulnefs of latter mutations^ or will prove that
tlic
lo Gildas Salvianuss
the Apoftles gave power to thefe particular Pafrors to degenerate into another fore of officers hereafter, according to the Cogency of their Evidence, wc fliall beheve it. In the mean time, defiringtobc guided by the word of God , and to go upon fu re ground, and take only fo much as is certain, we hold where we are,and are glad chat we arc fo far agrecdr Yet not prefuming to cenfurc all fuperiour Epifco- pacy, nor refufing to obey any man that command- eth us to do our duty , but refolving to do our own work in faithfulncfs and peace.
For my ovm parr, I have ever thought it caficr to be Governed then to Govern ; and I am ready ( as the Brittipj told Atiftin ) to be obedient to any man in and for the Lord : Nbr can I think that any Go- vernment can be burdenfom , ubich Chritt ap- pointcth; but all beneficial to u ;as making our bur- den lighter and not heavycr , and helping and not hindering us in the way to heaven. Were Chrifts work but throughly done -, I (hould be the back- wardeft in contending^who (hould have the doing of it. Let us agree but on this one thing which is plain here in my Text , That the Churches or Flocks (hould be no greater then the Paftors can perfonal- ly over-fee, fo that they may T^ksheedto all the Flock ; and then let but able faithful men be tlic Over-feers , that will make the word of God the Rule, and lay out themfclvcs for the faving of mens fouls, and I am refolved never to contend with fuch about the bufinefs of fuperiority ; but cheerfully to obey them in all things lawful, if they require my obedience.Ifthe difference were not more about the matters commanded, and the work it felf to be done,
then.
•J
The Reformed Tajlor* u
then, who (hould command it : me thinks humble men fhould be eafily agreed. Would they but lay by all ncedlefs humane impositions and obtrufions, and be contented with the fufficient word of God, and not make new work to neceflitate , new Canons and Authorities to impofe it, but be content with the Gofpel (implicity, and let us take that for a fufficicnt way to heaven, that Peter and 'Paul went thither in, I think I (hould not difobey fuch a Bidiop, though I were not fatisfied of his differing Order or Degree. Yca,if he were addided to fome enaoaching ufur- pation of more power then is meet, would he but forbear the EcctdnoiUdii^^nd come to usontjrwith the fword of the fpint, which will admit of fair de- bates, and works only upon the conTcieoce, I know no reafon much to fear fuch power, though it were un- due. But enough of this.
SECT. III.
TH E Obfcrvations which the Text affordeth us are fo many, that I may not now ftay fo much as to name them : but (hall only lay down that one which containeth the main fcopc of the Text, and take in the reft as fubordinate motives in the handling of that, in the method which the Apoftle doth here deliver them to us.
Doft.
ii Gildas Salvianus;
Dod. rj-'H' E Pajlors or Over-furs of the Churches ■^ of Chrifli mnfi take great heed hoth to themfelves^and to all their Flockj tn all the farts of their Pa-ioralwork^
The method which we (haU folic w in handling this paini^lhaii be this i . I ftiali briefly open to you the terms of the fubjcA : What is meant by Paftors and Churches. 2. / Ihall (hew you what it is to Take heed ro our fcives^ and wherein it muft be done, 3 . 1 (hall givelome brief Reafons of that part of the point. 4. i lliall (hew you, What it is to Take heed to all the Flock in our Paftoral work, and wherein it muft be done. 5. I (hall make fome Application of all.
SECT. IV.
I. \7\ T'H^^ ^^c words, Paftor, Bifhop and V \ Church do fignifie,! will not waft time to tell you, they being fo well known. As for the things fignified. i. By a Paftor or Billiop hereis meant, e^« O^cer appoDited by O^^^fl f<^'' ^^^ ordinary Teaching and (juiding a particular Church and all its member s^ in order to their falvation and the pleafing of^ God.
Chrid appointcth the Office it felf by his Laws. The perfon he callcth to it by his qualifying Gifts , Providential difpofals, fccret impulfcs , and ordi- narily
The Reformed ^aHor^ 13
narily by the Ordination of his prcfcnt Officer5,and the Acceptance of the Cfeurch.
Teaching and Guidance contain the main parrs at ie?.^ of :he work to which they are dcfigned. The particulars we (hall further ftand upon anon.
A particular Church is the objcd of their work ; by which they are diftinguifhcd from Apoftolical un- fixed itineran: Minificrs.
They are the ftated Ordinary Teachers of fuch a Church, by which they are differenced , both from private men, who do occafionally teach ; and from theforcfaid itinerant Minifters, that do but »« tranji- tuy or feidom teach a particular Church. The fubjed is the matters of Salvation and Oljedience to God , and the end is falvation itfelf, and the pleafingof God therein; by which work and ends the office is diftinguifhed from all other offices, as Magiftrates , School-maftcrs, ^c, though they alfo have the fame remote or ultimate ends.
By the Flock and Church is meant that particular fociety of Chriftians of which thefe Bifhops or El- ders have the charge, affociated for perfonal Com- munion in Gods publike worftiip, and for other mu- tual a(I]ftance in the way to Salvation. Exad De- finitions we may not now ftand on ; we have more fully made fomc attempts that way hereto- fore.
SECT,
14 Gildas Salvianus
S ECT. V.
II. T ET us next coniider, What it is to take JLi heed to our felves, and wherein it muft be done. And here I may well for brevity fake adjoyn the A pplication to the Explication, it being about the matter of our Pradife, that I may be put to go over as little as may be of the fame things again. Take therefore I bcfcech you all this Explication, as fomuch Advice and Exhortation to theduty^and kt your hearts attend it as well as your underftand- ing«.
I, Take heed to your fclves, left you (liould be void of that faving Grace of God which you offer to others, and be ilrangers to the effedualworkings of that Gofpcl which you preach ; and left while you proclaim the nccefHty of a Saviour to the world, your own hearts (hould negled him, and you (hould mifs of anintereft in him and his faving be- nefits .? Take heed to yourfclvci, left youpcrifh, while you call upon others to take heed of perifliing/ and left you famiih your felves while you prepare their food. Though there be a promife of (hining as the ftars tothofe that turn many to righteoufnefs , Dan, 12. 3. that is but on fuppofition that they be firft turned to it themfelves : Such promifcs are meant, c^ttris pariifw, & fuppofitisfftpponendii* Theic own fincerlty in the faith is the condition of their glory (imply confidered, though their great minifte- rial labours may be a condition of the promife of their greater glory j Many a man hath warned others
that
The R£formed ^aTlor. 1 5
that they come not to that place of Torment, which yet they haded to themfelvcs: Many a Preacher is now in hell, that hath an hundred times called upon his hearers to ufe the utmoft care and diligence to efcape it. Can any reafonable man imagine chat God (hould fave men for offering f^\lvacion to others, whik they refufed it themfelvcs ; and for tel- ling others thofc truths which they themfclves neg- ledcd and abufcd ? Many a Taylor goes inraggs, that makethcoftlycloathes for others ; And many a Cook fcarce licks his fingers, when he hath drefl''c for others the moft coftly dirties. Believe it Brethren, God never favcd any man for being a Preacher, nor becaufe he was an able Preacher : but bccaufe he was a juftified, fandificd man, and confcquently faithful in his mailers work, Take heed therefore to your felves firft, that you h that which you per- fwade your hearers to i^e, and believe that which you pcrfwadethem daily to believe .- and have heartily I entertained chat Chrirt and Spirit which you offer unto others. He that bid you love your neighbcvurs asyourfelves,didimply that you (liould love your fclves.& not hate and deftroy your felves and them.
SECT. VI.
z, 'npAke heed to \out feJves , lefl you live in 1 thofc adual fins which you preach againft mothers, and left you be guilty of that which dai- ly you condemn. Will you make it your work to snagBLJfie God, and when you have done,dirtionour him as much as others ? Wil! you proclaim Chrift?
Govcrni«ig
1 6 Gildas S.ilvianus-,
Gcvernipig Power, and ycc conrcmn ir, and rebel your felves? Will you preach his laws, and willfully break chcni ? If finbecvil, why doyoulive in it ? If it be not, why do you d iff wade men from it ? If it bedangerou':, how dare you venture on it ? If it benot,why doyou tell men fo ? \f Gods threat- rings be true, why do you not fear them ? li they be falfe, why do you trouble m?n necdiefly with them.and put them into fuch frights w thout a caufe? Do you know the Judgement of God, that they that commit fuch things arc wortliy of death , and yet will you do them ? Rom. t. 31. Thou that teach- cftanother,teathcft thou not thy felf f Thou that faieft a man lliould not commit adulfciy,or be drunk, or covetous, art thou fuch thy fclf? Tliou that makeft thy boafl of the Law, through breaking the Law dif-^ honourcftthou GodPRom. 2. 21,21,2^ vvhar,fhall the fame tongue fpeak evil, that fpeaketh againft* evil ? fhallit cenfure, and (lander, and fecretly back- bite, that cryes down thefe and the like in others ? Take heed to your felves, left you (hould cry down fin, and not overcome it , left while you feek to bring it down in others, you bow to ir, and becomd- its flavcs your felves. For of whojn a man is over- come, of the fame is he brought in bondage, 2 "Pet, 2.19. To whom you yield your felves fervants to obey, his fervants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of fin unto death, or of obedience unto righteouf- ncfs. Rom. 6. 16. Itiseaficrto chide at fin, then to overcome it*
SECTo
The Reformed TaHor* if
SECT.VII.
3. *T^Ake heed alfo to your fclves,thac you be rot X unfit for the great employments that you have undertaken J cmuft not be himfelf a babe in knowledge, that will teach men all thofc mylterious things that are to be known in order to falvation. O What qualifications are neceflary for that man that hath fuch a charge upon him as we have / How many difficulties in Divinity to be opened ? Yea, about the very fundamentals that mufl: needs be known/ How many obfcure Texts of Scripture to be expounded ? How many duties to be done , wherein our felves and others may mifcarry, if in thcmatrer, and end, and mannerjandcircumftances, they be not well informed ? How many finsro be avoided, which without underftanding and forefighc cannot be done ? What a number of flye and Tub- tile temptations muft we open to our peoj^cs eyes , that they may efcape them ? How many weiglity and yet intricate cafes of confcicnce h?.ve we almoil idaily to refolve ? Can fo much work , and fuch iwork as this be done by raw unqualified men ? O what ftrong holds have we to batter, and how m my 3f them ? What fubcile, and diligent, and ob(l - nate rcfiftance muft we cxped at every heart we deal with? Prejudice hath blockt up our way: we can fcarce procure a patient hearing. They think ill of A^hat we fay while we are fpeaking it. We cannot Dake a breach in their groundlefs hopes and carnal peace, but they have twenty fhifts and fceming ren-
C fono
'1 8 Gildas Salvianusi
fjas to make i':up again , and cwcncy enemies, thnc are Teeming friends, are ready to help them Wc difpute not with tliem upon equal ccrms Due we have children to reafon with ch.utannjt undcrttand ws ; wc have diftradcu men (m fpiritualsj to reafon wich, chac will bawl us down With raging non-fenfe : Wc hrtve wilful unrealbnable people to deal with , that when they are fiiencedjthey are never the more convinc'c ; and when they can give you no reafon , they Will give you their refolucion : hke the man.thac S tlvUn hid to deal with ( l<h.^. ^eGfilft^ntat,p.i^$.) thi- being refolvc i to devoui e a poor mans means , and being intreated h\ '<alvuin to furbear, to!d him. Vie could not grant hisrequsli:, for he had made a Vow to rake ic, (o that the Preacher apii:ta nlino^* fih'.rni (ctlerls rat or: e was fain to depart. We dif- pute the cafe againft mens wills an J (enfuii paHlons as much as agAuift their underllandings ; ani thefe have neither reafon nor ears : Their btll cXrguaients arc, / \V<// not believe ^on^ mr all the P) e.ickers i^ the '^orld in juch thinfft, I will not chit-je my mind^ or life X I Will not Itive my fins ; ^ rvdl never he fa preci^^come on it wh^t IV 7/. Wc have not one , but multitudes of raging pafliions , and contrajiding enemies to difpute againll at once, whenever we go about the converfion of a finner ; as if a man were to difpute inalairor tumult, or in the midft of a crowd of violent fcolus : what equal dealing, and what fucccfs were here to be expcded ? why fucli is our work, and yet a work that muft be don?.
O Dear'^>rethren what men fhonli webe inskil.rc- folution & unwearied diligence; that have all this to
do?
The Reformed Tajior* 19
do ? Did Prf«/ cry ouC> pyho is fu^icient Jorthefe things ? 2 Cor, :. 16. and (hall we be proud or care- Icfs, and lazy , as if we were fufficienc ; As Teur faith CO every Chriitian in Confideration of our great approaching change, 1 1'et. 5. 1 1. ivhat ff^^an- Tier of ferfons ought yve to hi in all holy (^onverfatfon andGoMinefs ? fo may I fay to every minifter, feeing all thefe things do lie upon our hands, What manner of perfons ought we to be in all holy Endeavours and Refolutions for our work / This is not a burden for the (houlders of a child. What skill doth every part of our work require ? and of how much mo- ment is every part ? fo preach a Sermon I think is not the hardelt part ; and yet what skill is neceffary to make plain the truth, to convince the hearers ^ to let in unrefiftible light into their confciences.and to keep it there , and drive all home / to fcrue the truth into their minds, and work Chrift into their affedions ; to meet with every objedion that gain^ faies ; an(i clearly to rcfolve it ; to drive fmners to a ftand, and make them fee that there is no hope , bun they njuft unavoidably be converted or condemned: and to do all this fo for language and manner as be- feems our work , and yet as is moil fuitable to the capacities of the hearers -, this and a great deal more that (hould be done in every Sermon, (hould furebe done with a great deal of holy skill. So great a God whofc meffage we deliver, ihould be honoured by our delivery of It I Ic is a lamentable cafe, that inameffage from the God of heaven, of everiaftiog confequence to the fouls of men we (V-ould behave our fclves fo weakly, fo unhandfomly, fo imprudent- ly, or fQ ileighdy , that the whole bufmets (hould
C 7. roiftarry
:o GildasSalvianus;
mifcarryin our hands, and God be di (honoured t and his work diTgraced, mid fmncrs raiher hardened then converted , and all this much through our weakncfs or n'gle(^ / How many a time have carnal hearer? j^one jearinc home at the palpable and dif- horourable failings of the Preacher ' How many fl-ep under us, bccaufe our hearts and tongues arc flecpy : and wc brini^ nor with us fo much skill and zeal nsto awake them I
Moreover what skill is necefTary to defend the truth againH g.iii>raycrs,and to deal with difputing Cavillers according to their feveral modes and cafe I ^ nd if we fail through weakncfs, ho'.v will they in- fult ? but that is the fmallclt matter : but wj^o knows how many weak ones maybe perverted by the fuccefs, to their own undoing and the trouble of the Church?
What skill \s there neccfTiry to deal in private with one poor ignorant foul for their convcrfion (of whicli more in the end ? )
O Brethren, do you not flirink and tremble under thefenfe of all this woiklVVill a common mcr4rureof holy skill and ability of prudence and other qualifi- cations, ferve for fuch a task as this / 1 knowne- cefsity may cau^e the Ciiurch to tolerate the weak: But woe to us if we lolci ate and indulge our own vt7eakr}efs. Df )th not reafon and confcienee tell you, that if you dsLre venture on fo high a work as this , you (hoold fprrc no pains to be fr red to perform it ? It is not now and then an idle fnatch or tafteof ftu- dies that will ferve to make a found Divine. I know that lazinefs hath lately learned to pretend the low- neft of all our ftudks, and how wholly and only the
SpiriC
The '^formed Tajlor. i \
Spirit muft qualtfic and afilrt us to the work •• and fo, as Salvian faith in another cafe {Ub.^,p, 13^.) tu^ftthorem quodammodo fmfcehris dtum faci;i>it : Ai if God commanded us theufe of means, and then would warrant ustonegled: t!)em / As if it were hs way to caufe us to thrive in a couiTe of idlenc s j and to bring us to knowledge by dreams when wc are aflecp, or to take us up into heaven, and fhew us his counfcls, while we chink of no fuch matcer , but arc routing in the earth. O that men (houli dsrc fo finfully by their iazinefs to quench the Spirit, and then pretend theSpiric for the doingof it. Qulstsn- (luam i faith he before mencioned ) Cftdtret ufc^uein
fidit^tis ( ignaviit ) 'iudjciam ,' nt tu ip(um in ^ho Chv'.flo ir.juriam faiiunt ^dic.nt {e ob (^hrifti r.omsn e[fe fuclmoj 1 0 ineftimy.bi'e fadnus C^prodi^iofumJ God hath required of us, that we be act jh.ithful m (pMfinefi^ httt fervent in fpir'u.jerving the Lord , Ro^n. 12. lit Such we murt provoke our hearers to be , and fuch wc muft be our felves. O therefore Bre- thren lofe no time: ftudy , and pray-, and confer, and pradife : for by the fe four waies your abilities muft be increafed. Take heed to your felves left you are weak through your own negligence, and icaft-you marr the work of •• ?od by your we:iknef«. As the mn is^ fo 15 his ftrength, Jn^'g. 8. : i .
SECT
2.1 Gildas Salvianus ;
SECT. V 1 H.
4* \ /I Orcover take heed to your felvesjleft your ^^^ example contradid your Doftrine,and left you lay fuch ftumbling blocks before the blind , as may be theoccaiionof theirruine. Left you unfay that with your lives, which you fay with your tongues; andbc thegreateft hindcrers of the fuc- ccfbof yotir own labours. It much hinderethour work when other men arc? all the week long contra- didln^ to poor people in private, that which we have been fpeaking to them from the word of God in publike, becaufe we cannot be at hand tomanifeft their folly : But it will much more hinder , if we contradidt our felvcs, and if your aAions give your tongue the lye, and if you build up an hour or two with ) our mouths, and all the week after pull down with your hands I This is the way to make men think that the word of God is but an idle tale : and to i make preaching feem no better then prating. He that means as he fpeaks, willfuredo as he fpcaks. One proud furly Lordly word , one needlcfs con-; tention , one covetous acflion may cut the throat of many a ^ermon, and blaft thefruitof all that YOU have been doing. Tell me Brethren, m the fear of God: Do you regard the fuccefs of yo.r labours, or do you not ? Do you long to fee it upon the| fouls of your hearers f l[ you d<^ not, What do you preach for / What do you Oud. for / and what do you call yourlclvcs thi Minilkrs of Chrift for ? But if you do , then fure you cannot find in your
heart
the Reformed Vafior, 25
heart CO mar your work for a thing of nought 1 What , do you regard the fuccels ot your labours, and yee will not part Wich a little co the poor^ r.or put up an injury or a foul word, nor ll:oop to the tneanell , nor forbear your pafiijnace or 1 ordly carriage, no not for the winning o^" fouls, and at- taining the end of all your libouis I You much re^ gard the luccefs indeed, that wil! fell it at fo cheap a rate , or will nut do fo (mail a mancer to attiin
/t is a pftlpahie errourin thofe Minillcr^tharmake fuch a difpropoition between their preaching and ther living, that they will ftudy hard to preach ex- adlY,and iiuJylitdeor HOC at allto liveexndly .- All the week long is little enough to ftudy howci fpeak two hours : and yet one hour feems too much to ftudy how to live all the week. 1 hey are loth to- mifpl.'ce a word in their ^ormons or to be guilty of any nocablc infirmity ^ and i blame them not, for the Kiaiter is H iy and of weight ; ) bur they make nothing of mifplacingaffe^ions, words and adions^ in the courfe of their lives. O how turiouOy have I heard fome men preach ! and how circkTIy have 1 feen them live! They have been ^o accurate as to the wordy part in their own preparations, thiit feidom preaching feemed 2 vertue to th.m, that th ir Ian-- gaage might be the more polste, r.nd all the Rheto- rical jinqling writers they could meet wich, were p;cft to ferve them for the adorning of their ftile ,- ( and gawds were oft their chieicll orn.'^menrs. ). Tiicv were fo nice in hearing others, that no man pleafed thr^m that fpoke as he-thought » or that drowned not affcdions , or dulled not, or diftemper*
C 4 cd.
24 Gildas Salvianiis 5
ed not tbe heart by the predominant ftrains of a pliantaftickwit. Andyctwhenitcamc to matter of pradjcc, and they were once out of Church, how incurious were tliemen and how little did they re- gard what they faid or dia, fo it were not fo palpably grofs as to difhonour them ! They that preached piccifely.would DOtliveprecifcly .' What difference between their pnlpit fpecches and their familiar dil- courfe ? They ihat arc moft impatient of Barbarifmsi bolecifms, and ParalogiTms in a Sermon, can caGIy tolerate them in their converfations-
Certainly Brethren, we have very great caufe to
take heed wl.ac we do, as well as what we fay : If we
will be the lervanrs of hrift indeed, we muft not be
tongue fervants only , but mull (erve him with our
deeds, AyJ Ipcfl'ofr/ of the ^'ork^ that in our deed vn
ma) be hli^i-ij 'jam. i. ^5. As our people muft be
'Djtrs <f the word ^^nd not heartrs ottlj • fo we muft be
Doers and not fpeakers only , lead we be deceivers
of our feUt}^ Um, 1.2'. A pra(!^ical Dudrinemutt
be pradica'ly preachcd.Wcmurt ilud/ as hard how
to live well.c? how Co piccch well. We muft think and
think ai^i'.ir how rocompofe our lives as may moft
tend 10 mens falvation , as well as our Sermons.
Wheny* u are ftud^irgwhat to fay to them,] know
ihefe are your thoughts (or el fc they are naught and
tonovuipofe ! Ho'X p:'.ulJ I ^^ct Txitl.in them} *?h</
r\h it pjuld /fa) that a i\t.l) mofi eff. ciu--^//) to ccn-
'vince them^ aKdoniett :hiX>^a>.d tend to their falvd'
tion ? And (1 culd you fiot as d;ligently bethink your
felves, Ho'Oi fi' ill J itve^ar.drvb&tfhail I fay and do ^
and how Jhall I diffofe of all that I have ^ as way mofi
frcbrihlj tend to the fav'rj£ of mins fot;ls ? Brethren;
J ■ , ■ ■ . . ' . " ■ if
T/;e Refonned TaHor. 25
if favirig fouls be your end, you will certainly intend it as well out of the pulpit as in it/ If it be your end, you will live for it, and contribute all your en- deavours to attain it : And if you do fo^you will as well ask concerning the money in your purfe, as the wordsof your mouth, Tyhich way pjottld 1 lay it 9Ht for the greateji good^ efpecUU) to mtns fouls } O thaC this were your daily fludy, how to ufe your wealth, your friends, and all you have for God, as well as your tongues ? and then we fliould fee that fruit of your labours that is never elfe Ike to be feen. If you intend the end of the Miniftery in the pulpit on* ly,thcn it feems you take your felvesfor Minifters no longer then you are there. And then I think you are unworthy to be efteemed fuch at all.
r ~
SECT. IX.
^I^- T T Aving (hewed you in four particulars^ .Li How it is that we muft Take heed to our felves, and what is comprized in this command; I am next to give you the Reafons of it ^ which I intreateyou to take as fo many Motives to awaken you to your duty , and thus Apply them as we
go-
Re^(. I. You have a Heaven to winorlofeyouf
fclves, and fouls that muft be happy or mifcrable for ever ; and therefore it concerneth you to begin at home, arid to take heed to your felves as well as un- to others. Preaching well may fucceed to the fal- vation of others, without the holinefs of your own hearts or lives; Itispoflible at leaft, though lefs
ufual :
26 Gildas Salvianus.
ufual ; bun it is impofllble it fhould ferve co ^i\c your feives : • Many (liali fay at that day, Loni^havr we KOt prepfjefieii m thj At-^Wf? A/4t. 7. 22. V\' ha fhaji be anfwered with an ^ nevir i^»e^ yot4 , t/^/^^rr /rcw me je tlojft rvork^tnufuity. v»ii. O Sirs how mai}y men have preached Chnii, and perifticd for want of a faving incereft in hipi ! How many that arc now in hell, have told their people of the torments of hell, and warned them ro avoid ic 1 How many have preached of the wrath of God againft finncrs, that are now feeling ir/0 what faddercafe can there be in the worId,rhcn for a man that made it his very trade j^nd calling to proclaim falvation,and to help others to ?cta\in it, yec after all to be himfelf Qiut out I Alas tharcver we (houldhave fomany books in our li- braries that tell us the way ro heaven , that we fhould fnend f<i) many year:, in reading thofe books, and ftudying the Dqrfiine of eternal life, and after all this tomifsof it / That ever wc (hould ftudy and pieach fo many Sermons of falvation, and yec fall (jiort o»f it 1 fomany Sermons of damnacion . and yet fall into ic / And all becaufc we preached ^ fo many Sermons of Chrift while we negleftcd him : of the Spirit while wc refifted it; of taith , while we did not heartily believe ; of Repentance and con- verfion, while we continued in the (late of Hefh and, fin ; and of a Heavenly life, while we remained car- " nal and earthly our fclv^s. If we will be Divines only in Tongue and Title, and have not tl.c Divine Image upon our fouls, nor give up our felvcs to the Divine honour and will, no wonder if wc be - feparated from the Divine prefencc, and denyed the fruition of God for ever. Relieve ic Sirs, God is
no
The Reformed^ a flor. 17
no refpcfter of perfons ; He favetli not men for their coats or callings ; A holy calling will noc fa ve an unholy man. If you ftand at the door of the Kingdom of Grace, to light others in^ and will not go in your felves j when you are burnt to the fnuff you will go out with a ftink, and (hall knock in vaia at the gates of glory, that would not enter at the door of Grace. You (hall then find that your lamps (hould have had the oyl of grace as well as of raini- fterial Gifts; of Holinefs as well as of Doflrine , if you would have had a part in the glory which you preached. Do I need to tell you that Preachers of the Gofpel mud be judged by the Gofpel ; and ftand at the fame bar, and be fentenced on the fame terms, and dealt with as feverely as any other men? Can you think to be faved then by your Clergy ? and to come off by a ie^it ut CUrkus , when there is wanting the credidit (^ vixit ut Chnfikf^pu ? Alas, it will not be : You know it will not. Take heed therefore to your felves for your own fakes , feeing you have fouls to fave or lofc as well as others.
SECT. X,
2. T^Akc heed to your felves ; For you have a 1 depraved nature, and finful inclinations as well as others. If innocent Adam had need of hced^ and loft himfelf and us for want of it , how much more need have fuch as we ? fin dwelleth in us, when we have preached never fo much againft it. And one degree prepareth the heart to another, and
one
28 Gildas Salvianus^
one fin indincch the mind to more ; If one thcif be in the houfc, he will lee in the reft ; becaulethey have the fame difpofuion and defign. A fpark is the beginning of a flame ; and a fmall difeafc may bring 8 greater. A man that^knows himfelf to be purblind, (houid cake heed to his feet. Alas,even in our hearts as well as in our hearers, there is an averfnefs to God, a ftrangenefs to him, unreafonable and almoft unruly paffions. In us there is at the beft the rem- nants of pride, unbelief, felf-feeking, hypocrifie, and all the moft hateful deadly fins. Aad doth it not then concern us to take heed ? Is fo much of the lire of hell yet unextingui(hcd , that at firft was kindledinus ? Are there fo many Traytors incur very hearts, and is it not time for us to take heed ? You will fcarce let your little children go them- felves while they are weak, without calling upon them to take heed of falling. And alas how weak are thofc of us that feemlhongefl ? How apt to ftumbleata veryftraw ? How fmall a matter will caft us down, by ticing us to folly, ©r kindling our paflions and inordinate defires, by perverting our Judgements, or abating our refolutions, and coohng our zeal, and dulling our diligence? Minifters are not only fons of C^dam , but finners againft the Grace of ChriH as well as others , and fo have en- creafed their radical fin. Thofe treacherous hearts will one time or other deceive you, if you take not heed. Thofe fins that feem now to lie dead will re- vive : Your pride, and worldlinefs^ and many a noy- fom vice will fpring up> that you thought had been weeded out by the roots. It is moft neceffary there- fore, that men of fuch infirmities fhould take heed
to
7 be K e formed Taflor. 1 9
to themfelves, and be careful in the dieting and ufage of their fouls.
SECT. XI.
3. A N D the rather alfo Take heed to youi l\ felves ; bccaufc fuch great works as ours do put men on greater ufe and tryal of their grace?, and have greater temptations, then many other mens. Weaker gifts and graces may carry a man ouc in a more even and laudable courfc of lire,that is not put to fo great tryals. Smaller ftrength may fcrvc fot' lighter works and burdens. But if you will venture on the great undertakings of the Miniftery , if you will lead on the Troops of Chrift againft the face of Satan and his followers ; if you will engage your felves againft principalities and powers^ and fpiritual wickednefTes in high places ; if you undertake Co refcue captivated linners, and to fetch men out of the Devils paws : do not think that a hecdlefs^care- lefs Minifter is fie for fo great a work as this. You muft look to come off with greater {hame,and deep* er wounds of confciencc, then if you had lived a common life, if you will think to go through fuch things as thefe with a carelefs foul. It is not only the work that calls for heed, but the workman alfo, that he may be fit for bufinefs of fuch weight ; v/e have fcen by experience, that many men that lived as private Chriflians, in good reputation for parc^ and piety, when they have taken upon them crther mtiitary employment, or Magiftracy,whcre the work was above their parts, and temptations did over- match
30 Gildas Salvianus-
match their ftrcngth, they have proved fcandalous difgraccd men. And we have fecn fome private Chriftians of good note, that having thought too highly of their parts, and thruft thcmfelvcs into the Minifierial office, they have been empty men,and al- moft burdens to the Church , and worfc then fome that we have endeavoured to calt out. They might have done God more fervice in the ftation of the higher rank of private men, then they do among the loweft of the Miniftery. If you will venture into the midft of the enemies , and bear the burden and heat of the day, Take heed to your felves.
SECT. xir.
^. AND the rather alfo, Take heed to your /v felves ; becaufe the Tempter will make his firft or (harpcft onfet upon yeu. If you will be the leaders againft him,he will fpare you no further then God rcftraincthhim. He beareth youthegreateft malice, that are engaged to do him the greatelt mif- chief Ashehatcth C hrifl more then any of us, be- caufe he is the General of the field, and the Captain of ourfaIvatio?j ^dinddoihvnoic then all the world bcfidcs againft the Kingdom of darkncfs ; fo doth he hate the Leaders under him, more then the com- mon fouldiers on the like account ( in their propor- tion ) He knows what a rout he may make among the reft, if the leaders fall before their eyes. He hath long trycd that way of fighting,«f »/^ffr a^^i^amfi great «r/«i4//c©mparatively, but thefc : ^niof fmtu»^ the ShfpherdSi that ht may fcatter the FhcJ^ : And
7be Reformed fajlor. 3 1
fo great hat-b been his fuccefs this way, that he will follow it on as far as he is able. Take heed therefore Brethren , for the enemy hath a fpccial eye upon you. You Hiall have his moft fubiile infinuations, and ince(rantfoliicitations,a-nd violent affaults. As wife and learned as you arc, Take heed to your felvcs left he over- wit you. The Devil is a greater Scholar then you, and a nimbler difputanc : he can tr arts form ht^yUxlf iftto An ^n^el of li^ht to Jfcrive" : He Will get within you, and trip up your heels be- fore you are aware : He will play the juglar with you undifcerncd.andcheat'youof your faith or inno- cency, and you (ha:l not kfiow that you have loft it ; nay he will make y^ u believe it is mukiplyed or in- creafcd, when it is loff. You (hall fee neither took nor line, much Icfs the lubtile Angler himielf,wh Ic lie is ' fferingiyou his bait, f^nd his baits (Trtall be fo fi[ted to your temper and difpofitton, that he will be furc to Hnd advantages within you , "and make your own pr.ncipks and inclination to betray y€U , and when ever he ruinethyou^he wiW make you the in- ihuments of your own ruine. O what a conqueft will he think he hath got, if he can make a Mmitier lazy and unfaithful j if he can tempt a Minifter into covetoufnefs or fcandal 1 He will glory againft'tfce Church and (sLy^Thefe are jour holy Preachers : ysti fee'^hAt their precifenefs it ^ and "^^kith^ it 19 1 II brM them He will glory againft Jefus Ghrift himfv If, ami fay, Theft are thy Champions I Icanrnake thj chiif- efifervartts toahnfe thee ; lean make the Stefv^rii tf thy koufe unfaithful. If he did fo infult againft God upon a falfe furmife, and tell him he could make ^ob to curfc him to his face (lob i- 11. } What would
he
ii Gildas Salvianus-,
he do if he (liould indeed prevail againft us ? And atlafthcwillinfultasmuchovcryou, that ever he could draw you to be falfe to your great truft , and-, to bleraifti your holy profeflion, and to do hi mfo nauch fervice that was your enemy. O do not fo far gratifie Satan, do not make him fo much fporr. : fuffer him not to ufe you as the PhiUflines did S^m- ffon^ firft to deprive you of your ftreogth, and then to put out your eyes, and fo to make you the matter of his triumph and dcrifion.
SECT. X HI.
5. npAke heed to your felves alfo > bewufe there X are many eyes upon you , and therefore there will be many obfervers of your fa Is. '/ou can- not mifcarry but the world will ring of it. The Ec- clipfesof theSunbyday time are feldom without witneflei. If you take your felves for the Lights of the Churches, you may well expcft that mens eyes fhould be upon you. If other men may fin with- out obfervasion , fo cannot you. And you fhould thankfully confider , how great a mercy this is , That you have io many eyes to watch over you , and fo many ready to tell you of your faults, and fo have greater helps then others, at leaft for Aerc- ftraining of your fin. Though they may do it with a malicious mind, yet you have the advantage by it : God forbid that wefliould prove fo impudent, as to do evil in the publikc view of all, and to fin w ilfuj- ly while the world is gazing on us ! He that i$ drunk, is drunk in the night; and he ckat fleepcth ,
The^eformecVPap/. 35
doth fleep in the night, i Thfi, 5 . 7. What forni- cicor fo impudent as to fin in the open ftreets %hilcall look on / Why confider that you areftill in the open light; Even the Light of your own Dodrne will difclofc your evil doings. While you are as Lights fct upon a hill, look not to lie hid, C^lfat. 5.14. Take heed therefore to your felves , and do your works as thofe that remember that the world looks on them, and that with the quick- fighted eye of malice, ready to make the worft of alliand to find the fmalleft fault where it is, and ag- gravate it where they find it , and divulge it and make it advantagious to their defigns ; and to make faults where they cannot find them. How cauteloufly then fliould we walk before fo many ill-minded ob- fervcrs /
SECT. XIV.
6, T^Ake heed alfo to your felves ; for your fins "*■ have more hainous aggravations then other mens: Its noted among King u^//'^5«/«/ f^ying^ , that a great man canno: commit a fmall fin j we may much more fay, that a learned m3n,or a Teach- er of others cannot commit a fmall fin : or at leaft , that the fin is great, as committed by him , which is fmaller in another.
I. You arc liker then others to fin agiinft know- ledge, becaufe you have more then they, ^t Icaft you fin againft more light or means of knowledge. What, do you not know that Covetoufnefs and Pride are fins ? do you mr know what it is to be D I on-
34 Glldas Salvianus ;
unfaithful to your truft, and by negligence or felf- feeking to betray mens fouls ? You know your ma- fters will, and if you do it not, fb.Ul bj beaten w^^ many ftripcs. There muft needs therefore be tre more wiifiilnefs, by how nuich there is the more knowledge. If you fin , it is becaufc you will fin.
3, Your fins have more hypocrific in them then other mens, by how much the more you have fpok^ againft them. O what a hainous thing is it in us, to fiudy how to difgrace fin to the utmoft, and make it as odious to our people as we can^and when we have done, to live in it, and fecretly cherifti that which we openly difgrace / What vile hypocrifie is it, to make it our daily work to cry it down, and yet to keep it ? to call it publikcly all to naught, and privately to make it our bed- fellow and companion? To bind heavy burdens for others, and not to touch them oar felves with a finger 1 What can you fay to this in judgement ? Did you think as ill of fin as you fpokc ? or did you not ? Jf you did not, why would you dif- lemtlingly fpeakitplf you did, why would you keep it and commit it ? O bcarnot that badge of a mi- ferable Pharifec , They f^ty hut do not^Mat. 25.3. Many a minifter of the Gofpcl will be confounded , and not be able to look up, by reafon of this heavf charge of hypocrific.
5. Moreover, your fins have more perfidioufnefs in them then other mens. You have more engaged your felves againtt them. Befides all your common engagements as Chriftians, you have many more as Minifters. How oft have you proclaimed the evil and danger of it , and called finncrs froffl it ? bow
oft
The Reformed Ta/ior. 35
ofc have you declared the terrors of the L^rd ? all thefc did imply that you renounced it yourfelvcs. Every Sermon that you preacht againft it, every pri- vate Exhortation , every Confeliion of it in the Congregation, did lay an engagement upon you to forfakc it. Every child ti^ac you have baptized , and entred into the Covenant with Chrift : and every adminiftration of the Supper of the Lord , wherein you called men to renew their Cove- nant, did import your own renouncing of the flefli and the world , and your engagement unto Chrift. How oft and how openly have you born witnefs of the odioufncfs, and damnable nature of fin ? and yet will you entertain it againft all thefe profefliions and teftimonies of your own f O what treachery is it to make fuch a ftir in the Pulpit againft it, and after all to enter- tain it in the heart , and give it the room that is due to God, and even prefer it before the glory of the Saints?
Many more fuch aggravations of your fins might be mentioned : but as we hafte over thefe, fo we mul pafs them by through our prefent hafte.
D 2 SECT.
S6 G\\^xs Salvianus
SECT. XV.
7. np Ake heed to your felves ; for the honour of X your Lord and Mailer, and of his holy Truth and waies , doth he more on you then oil other men. As you may do him more-jervice, fo al- fo more dif-fervicethenotherF. ] he necrer men ftand to God the f;reater diflionour hath he by their mifcarriages; and the more will they be imputed by foohnimcn, to God himfctf The heavy judge- ment was thrcatncd and executed bn ^ii and on his houfe , becaufe 4\ty k^ck^id at hisfacnfice atJ oftr- ing : I Sam. 2. 29. For therefore p^asthejin of the Jott*jjr men great before the Lord, for men e^hhorred theoferirjg of the Lord^ verf. ij. It was that great aggravation , of c^nfinjr the ertemiet of the Lordte bUfpheme ; which pr(woked Cod to deal fharplycr with D4vtd\\\QT\ clfe he would have done, 2 Sam. \ i. 11,12,1:,, 14. ]f you are indeed Chnftians, the glory o God is dearer to you then your fives, rake heed therefore what you do againft it , as yoa would take heed what you do againft your lives. Would it not wound you to the heart to hear the name and truth of C od reproached for your fakes ! To fee men point to you, and fay, There goes a co- vetous Pr el\afecret Tipler, a Jcandalous man ; thtfe are they that Treachfor flri[}nefs^ rvhen thtrnfelvis C4n live AS loofe as others ; thei condemn us by their Sir- mons^afidcondemnthfmftlves by their lives'. For all their tail^ they an 04 bad 04 ^e, O Brethren , could your hearts endure to hear men call the dung of
your
The Reformed faHor. 37
your tuiquicics in the face of the Holy God , and in the face of the Gofpel, andof allchacdefire cofcar the Lord > would it not break your hearts to think on it, chat all the poor godly Chriftians about you fhould fuffer reproach for your mil-doings ? why, if one of you that is a L eadcr of the Flock fliould byt once be cnfnared in a fcandalous crime , there is fcarce a man or woman that feckcch diligendy after their falvation, within the hearmg of it, but beiides the grief of their hearts, fir your fin they are likely to have it cafl in their teech by the ungodly about them , though they never fo much deteit it and la- ment it. The ungodly husband will tell the wife . and the ungoJly parents will tell their children, and neighbours and fellow fervants will be telling one another of it , and faying , Thefe are your godly ^PreAckers } Jon may fee n-h.2t comes of all) our frir ; are jou asy heiter then others ? ycu tire even all aUke. Such words as thefe mull all che godly in the Coun- trey perhaps hear for your fakes. It muii be that of- fence come ; but wo to that man by whom it com- eth , 'J\tat. li. 7. O Take lieed brethren in the name of God of every word that you fpeak, every ftep you tread, for you bear the Ark of the Lord , you are intruftcd with his honour ; and dare you let it fall, and caft it in the dirt ? If you that k.Kovf h^ "iviilj and apfrove the things thtt are more (xceiley.t , being infiruCied out of the L^rp^ anlhcin^ confident th.it y OH y our f elves are Cjmdfs of the blirj, and I'j^hts. to them that are indarkj-cfs^ in jl meters cf :hc foolilh, teachers ofbahts^ &c. If you I fay, (bould live con- trary to yourDo^rine, and hi hreahng the Law dipj^nour Gody the name of God would he hlafphemed D 3 amvr>^
38 Gildas Salvianuss
among the ignorant and urtgodlj through j on ^ Roml 2 . 14, 20, 21, 2g, 24. And you are not unacquaint- ed with that (landing Decree of Heaven , 1 Sam. 2. 3 O. Thim that honour me, I ^ill honour : and t hi} that de/pife me^pjnll heUghtljf efieemed. Never did man diihonour God,butit proved thcgreateft diihonour to hirafelf. God will find outwaics enough to wipe o9F all that can becaft upon him ; but you will not fo eafily remove the (hame and forrow from your felves.
SECT. XVI.
8. 'T^Ake heed to your felves ; for the fouls of X your hearers, and the fuccefs of all your labours do very much depend upon it. God ufeth to fit men for great works, before he will make them his inftruments in accomplifbing them. He ufeth to exercife men in thofe works that they arc moft fuited to. H the work of the Lord be not foundly done upon your own hearts , how can you expeft that he (hould blefs your labours for the effcding it in others f* He may do it if he pleafe, but you have much caufe to doubt whether he will. I (hall here fhewyou fome particular Reafons under this laft , which may fatisfic you, tliat He that would be a means of faving others , muft take heed to himfelf , and that God doth more feldom profpcr the labours of unfandified men.
Reaf. I. Can it be expefted that God fhould blefs thatmans labours ( I ftill mean comparatively 1
as
7he Reformed Tajlor. ?9
asto other Mimfters) whoworkcch not for God, bu: for himself ." vvhy this is the cafe of every un- fandified man. None but the upright do make God their chiel- end, and do ail or any thing heartily for his honour : They make the Mmiftery bu: a trade to live by.- They choofe it rather then another call- ing, becaufe their parents did deiiinate them to it, and bccaufe itisa pleafant thirgto know, and it is a hfe wherein they have more opportunity to furnifh their intellects with all kind of fcience; and becaufe it is not fo toylfom to the body, to thofe that have a will to favour their flefli ; and becaufe it is accom- panied wrth fome reverence and rcfpcft from men, and becaufe they think it a fine thing to be Leaders and Teachers, and have others depend on them, and receive the Law at their mouth, and becaufe it af- fordeth them a competent maintenance. For fuch ends as thefe are they miniiler-s , andfor tfiefedo they preach ; and were it not for thefe, and fuch as thefe, they would foon give over. And can it be ex- peded that God fhould muchblcfs the labours of fuch men as thefe ? it is not him they preach for , but themfelves, and thcir own reputation or gain : It is not him but themfelves that they feek and ferve, and therefore no wendcr if he leave them to them- felves for the fuccefs, and if their labours have no. greater a bleHing then themfelves can give them, and the word reach no furclicr then their own flrength is able to make it reach.
X Can you think that h'e is likely to be as fuccefs-
fal as others, that dealeth not heartily and faichfully
in his wor4,& never foundly believeth what hefaitb,
^z never is truly ferious when he feemeth to be moll
D 4 diligent ?
40 Gildas Salvianus;
ligcct f And can you think that any unfardified man can be hearty and ferious in the minifterial work? It cannot be. A kind of Icrioufnels indeed he may have, fuch asproceedeth from a common faith or opinion that the word is true, and is a(!^uated by a natural fervour, or by felfifli ends : But the fc- noufnefs and fidelity of a found believer that ulci- niaieiy intendeth Cod and mens falvation,thi8 he hath not. OSirs, all your preaching and perfwading «jf others will be but dreaming and trifling hypocri- fie , till the work be throughly done upon your i Ives. How can you fet your felves day and ni^ht to a work that your carnal hearts arc averfe from .<" How can ycu call out with ferious fervour upon j'oor linners to repent and come in to God, that i.ever Repented or came in your felves.? How can you heartily follow poor finners with importunate folliciracions, to takeheedof rin,and to fet thcm- fclves to a holy life, that never felc your felves the evil of fin, or the worth of holinefs? 1 tell you, thefe things are never well known till they are felt, nor well felc till they arc poflcfled .• And he chat fceleth iliemnot himfelf, isnot fo 1 ketofpeak feelingly to otiiers, nor to help others to the feelin<». of them. >"Owcan you fillow finners with companion in your heartland tears in your eyes, and befeech them in the name of i!)e T.ord to llop their ccurfe and return and live , that never had lo much compafvionon your own fouls as to do this much for your felves? Wliar, can you love other men better then your feives ? r?nd have pitty on them that have none up- on your felves ? Sirs, do you think they will be hear- ty and diligent to favc men from hell. «iat be not '!• ' , heartily
7he Reformed TaUor. 4 1
heartily pcrfwaded that there is a hell ? Or to bring men to heaven , that do not foundly believe that there is fuch a thing ? As Calvin faith on my Text ; Nf^ue enim aliorum faiuttm fedulo HnquAtn curAhit quifuam nfii:git. He that hath not fo ftrong a be- lief of the word of God, and the life to come, as will take off his own heart from the vanities of this world, and fct him upon a refolved diligence for faivation, I cannot exped that he Qiou'd be faithful in feeking the faivation of other men. Sure he that dare damn himfelf, dare let others alone in the way to damnation ; and hethat will fell his mafter with 'Judai for filver, will not (tick to make merchandize of the flock • and he that will lee go his hopes of heaven rather then he will leave his worldly and fltfhly delights, 1 think will hardly leave thefe for the faving of others. Inreafon we may conceive, that he will have no pitry on others, that is wil- fully cruel to himfe f ; and that he is not to be trufted with other mens fouls, that is unfaithful to his own, and will fell it to the Devil for the fliort pleafures of fin. I confefs that man (hall never have my confent to have the care and charge of others , and to over- fee them in order to their faivation, that takes not heed to himfelf 5 but is carelefs of his own ( except ic were in cafe of abfo- lute Necefsity , that no better could be had.) 3. Do you think that it is a likely thing, that he will fight againft Satan with all his might , that is a iervant to Satan himfelf? And will he do any great harm to the Kingdom of the Devil , that is himfelf a member and fub-ed of that Kingdom f And will he be true toChriftthacisin Covenant
with
41 Gildas Salvianus^
with his enemy , and Chrift hath not his heart ? why this is the cafe of every unfandified man, of wh^t cloth foevcrhiscoat DC made. They are the fervants of Satan, and the fubjeds of his Kingdom; It is he that ruleth in their hearts.* And are they like to be true to Chrift that are ruled by the Devil ? What Prince will chofe the friends and voluntary fervants of his enemy to lead his Armies in war againft him ? This is it that hath made fo many Preachers of the Gofpel to be enemies to the work of the Gofpel which the^' Preach : No wonder if fuch be fecretly girding at the Holy obedience ot the faithful • and while they take on them to preach fora holy life if they caft reproaches on them that ufe it ! O how many fu^jh Traytors have been in the Church of Chrift in all ages, that have done more againft him under his colours, then they could have done in :he open field / That have fpokenwell of Chrill and Scripture, and godlinefs in the general , and yer llily and clolcly do what they can to bring ic into difgraCt. and make men believe that thofe that fet themfclvcs to feek God with all their hearts, are but a company of hypocrites, or felf-conceited fan- tafticil fellows ! And what they cannot for (hamc fpeak rhat Way in the Pulpit, they will doit in fecrci amofifft t^t'irLrrnp-^nion^-. How many fucii Wolves have been fet over rhc fhcep^bccaufc they had flieeps tloaihing . pr'jtcfding ro be Ch' jltians and as good as others If thee were a Traytor amon?^ the twelve in Chrifts fr»mi)v , no marvel if there be ma- ny now. It cannot be expeded that a flave of SiL' t^n ^ who ^s Cad it his i?eiij, an J ^' ho nsinacth enrthlf thtngi , fhould be any better then ar, CK-e^jf to the
Crojs.
The Reformed ^afior. 43
(^rofs of C^ri[i. What though they live civilly, and preach plaufibly, and have the out-fide of an IJafie cheap Rcligioufnefs ? They may be as faft in the Devils fnares by worldhnefs, pride,a fecret diftafte of a dih'gent godlinefs, or by an unfound heart that is not rooted in the faith, nor unrcfervedly devoted to God in Chrift , as any others arc by drunkennefs, nncleannefs and fuch difgraceful fins. Publicans and Harlots do foonercome to heaven thenPharifeesjbe- caufe chey are fooner convinced of their fin & mifery . And though many ot thcfe men may feem excel- lent Preachers, and cry down ?in as loud as others , yet is it all but an affe^fled fervency, and too com- monly but a meer uneffeSual bawling. For he that cbcrifhcth it in his own heart, doth never fall upon ic ia goodfadnefs in others. I know that a wicked man may be more willing of anothers reformation then his owH) and may thence have a kind of real earneft- nefs in diffwading them from it ; becaufe he can preach againft fin at eafier rates then he can forfake it, and another mans reformation may ftand with his own enjoyments of his lufts. And therefore many a wicked Minifter or Parent may be earned with their people or family to amend , becaufe they lofc not their own finful profits or plcafores by anotliers re- formation, nor doth it call them to that felf denyal as their own doth. But yet for all this, there i«^none of that seal, refolution and diligence, as is in all that are true to Chrift. They fet not againll fin as the enemy of Chrift,and as that which endangereth their peoples fouls. A trayterous Commander, that ftiooteth nothing againft the enemy but powder, may caufc his Guns to make as great a found or re-*
port,
44 Gildas Salvianus-,
pore, as fome that are laden with bullets: but he do:b no hurt to chc enemy by it. So one of thcfe men miy fpcak as loud, and mouth ic with an affcA- ed fervency : but he feldom doth any great execu- tion againft fin and Satan- No man can fight well , but where hehateth, or is very angry ; Much lefs againft chtm whom he loveth, and loveth above all. Ever)' unrenewed man is fo far from hating fin ta purpofc,that itishisdeareft treafure , though not as fin, yet the matter of it is, as it affordcth delight to his fcnfual dcfit cs. So that you may fee, that an unfandihed man is very unfit to be a Leader in Chrifts Army', who loveth the enemy i and to draw others to renounce the world and the fledi, who clcaveth to them himfcif as his chiefeft Good.
4 And it is not a very li iNcly thing that the people will regard much theDoftrme of fuch men , when they fee that they do not live as rhcy p'"cach. They will think that he doth not ^r<i^' as he Ipeaks , if he do not as he fpeaks. They will hardly believe a man that fcemeth not to believe him elf. If a man bid you run for your lives, becaufe a Bear, or an enemy is at your backs, and yet do not mend his pace him- felf in the fame way , you will be tempted to think that he is but in jeft, and there is really no fuch dan- ger as he pretends, ^Vhcn preachers tell people of a ncccfsity of Holincfs, and th.it without it no man fhall fee the Lord /and yet remain unholy them- felves/thc people will think that they do but talk to pafs away the hour, and becaufe they muft fay fomc- what for their money,and that all tbefe be but words of courfc. Long enough may you lift up your voi- ces
The Reformed Taftor. 4 j
w againft fin, before men will believe, that there is any Tuch harm or danger in it as you talk of, as long as they lee the fame man thac reproacheth it , to puc it in his bofora, and n-.ake it his delight. You rather temptthem to think that there is fome fpccial good in it, andthatyou difpraifeitas gluttons do a di(h which they love, that they may have it all to them- fclves. As long as men have cyc< as well as ears, they will think they/ff your meaning as well as hear it ; and they areaptcr to believe their fight then their hearing , as being the more perfed fenfe. A 11 that a Preacher doth is a kind of preaching ; And when you live a covetous or a carelefs life, you preach thefc fins to your people by your pradice. When you drink, or game, or prate away your time in vaindifcourfe, they takeicas if you told them, T^ighbours^this is that Itfe that you J^jouiJ alt Uve : jou may venture o?t this courfe Ivirhout any danger , If you are ungodly , and teach not your families the fear of God , nor contradid not the fins of the company you come into^nor turn the ftream of iheir vain talking , nor deal with them plainly about the matters cf their falvation, they will take it as if you preacht to them that fuch things are needlefs and they may boldly do fo as well as you. Yea, and you do worfe then allthis, for you teach them to think ill of others that are better. Hew many a faithful Mi*- nifter & private man is hated and reproached for the fake of fuch as you? What fay the people to them ? Tou are fo precipe ^ and tell hs fo much of fin , and dan* ger^ and duty , and make fuch a/lir ahont t he fe mat- ters ; when fuch or fuch a Mini '^er that is as great a Scholar My on ^ and as good a Preacher as you , ft^/// be
merry
46 Gildas Salvianus -
merrji and jefl ^ith «/, and let us alone ^ and never trouhlethemfdves or tu "^ithfuchdifcQHrfe, Thefe hufte felloes can never be^niet^ hut m:ikefnore ado then needs ; an^ love to fright men with talk,of damna- tion j when foher^ lexrned, peaceable Divines can he ijuiet^ and live with us Ll^e other men* This is the very thoughts and talk of people, which your negligence doth occafion. They will give you leave to preach againft their fins as much as you will, and talk as much for godlinef> in thepulpit,fo you will but let them alone afterwards, and be friendly and merry with them when you htve done,and talk as they do , and live as they, and be indifferent with them in your confeitnce and your converfation. For they take the Pulpit to be but as a ftage; a place where Preachers rauft (hew themfclves and play their parts ; where you have liberty to fay what you lift for an hour .- and what you fay the/ much regard not , if you (hew them not by faying it perfonally to their faces, that you were in good earnelt, and indeed did mean them. Is that man likely therefore to do much good, or fie to be a Miniftcr of Chrift, that will fpeak for him an hour, and by his life will preach agiinft him all the week befides ; yea and give his publikc words the lye ?
And if any of the people bewifer then to fol- low the examples of fuch men, yet the loathfomnefs of their lives will make their Doftrine the lefs cffe- dual. Though you know the meat to be good and wholfom yet it may make a weak ftomach rife againft it, if the Cook or the fervant that carryeth it have pocky, or leprous,or dingy hands. Take heed there fore to your fclves, if ever you mean to do good to others. 5. Laftly„
The Reformed Taftor. 47
^. Laftly, confider, Whether the fuccefsof your labours depend not on the grace and bleffing o^ the Lord ; And where hath he made any promile of his afliiftance and blefsing to ungodly men? If he do promife h^ (^hnrch a blclsing even by fuch, yet doth ht not ^xomk them any blefsing. To his faithful fcrvants be hath promifed that he will be with them, thathe will put his Spirit upon them, and his word into their raouthcs , and that Satan (hall fall before them as lightening from heaven. But where is there any fuch promife to the ungodly , that arc not the children of the promife .? Nay, do not you rather byyourabufeof God, provoke him to forfake and blaft your endeavours ? at leaft, as to your felves , though he may blcfs them to his chofen. For I do not all this while deny but that God may often do good to his Church by wicked men, but not fo ordi- narily nor eminently as by his own.
And what 1 have faidof the wicked themfclves, doth hold in part of the godly while they arc fcanda- lousandback-fliding, proportionably according to the mcafurc of their fin. So much for the Reafons.
CHAP.
48 Gildas Salvianus.
AAAAAAA.AA A AAA ^A£AA £A&A
CHAP. IL
SECT. I.
AvingQicwedyou, What it is to Take heed to our felves , and ij'cl tl ^, Why it muft be done? I am next j[^^^^| to (hew you. What it is to Take ^ heed to all the Floek^ and wherein it doth confift and muft be exercifed. It was firft neceflary to take into Confidcration , if'h^t \\>emufi be , and -what we mt$fl do for our o^n fouls > before we come to that which muft be done for others : Ne ^uit aliorum vulnera medendo ad falutem^ipfe per neg^ liientiam fu£ faint is intuvtefcat] ne proximos ]uvando^ jedeferm ; ne alios erigens, cadat, faith Qregor* Ad^ decur.pafij. 4. Yea left all his labours come to nought, becaufe his heart and life is nought that doth perform them. Nonnu/ii enimfunt^uifolerti cur^piritualia prxcepta prefcrutantur^fed (fu<t intelli' gendo penetrant ^vivendoconculc ant : repente docent ^nt nonopere^ fed meditatione didicerunt : & quod verbid prddicant, Paribus impugnant ; unde fit ut cum paflor per abruptagraditur, adprdcipitium grexfequH' tur. Idem ib. it, i,c4p* 2. When we have led them to the living waters , if we muddy it by our filthy
lives.
Tl?e '^formed Tajior- 49
livesjwe may lofc our Uboiir,& yet they be never the beccer. iy^jn.^m psiib^i penurtfurersli [An^a meM" tatioyiis ■^'uiia male vtvenclo VBrrumpere , \inquit Idem. ibid.
Before we fpeak of the work it felf , ^e mufl begin with fomcwhat that is implyed and prefuppo-
And t. Ttis here implyed, that Every Flocl^p30nld have their o^n P aft or ( one or more ) and every TA" ft or his own Flock^. As every Ttoop or Company in a Regiment of fouldiers muft have their own Captain and other officers, and every fouldier know his own Commanders and Colours : fo is it the will of God, that every Church have iheir own Paftors, and that allChriftsDifciples^/o/i^^ojv/^fir Teachers that are over them in the Lor^^i /~hef,^,i2yi ^The Univerfal Church of Chrift muft confift of particular Chur- ches guided by their own Over-feers ; and every Chriftian muft be a member of one of thcfe Chir- ches ; except thofe that upon Embaffagcs, travels , or other liKe cafes of neceflicy, are deprived of this advantage, yJSls 14. 1^. They ordained them Elders in every Chf^rch ; fo Ttt. 1.5. and in many places this is clear. Though a Minifter be an Officer in the Univerfal Church, yet is he in a fpecial manner the Overfcerof that particular Church which is com- mitted to his charge : As hethat isa Phyfitianin the Common- wealth, may yet be the 'iJltedlcHs vel Archlater cujufdam ['ivitatis-, and be obliged to take care of that City, and not fo of any other : fo th.u though he may and ought occalionally to do any good he can elfewhere that may confift with his fide- lity to his fpecial charge, ( when an unlicenced per-r!
E fon
50 Gildas Salvianus ;
(on may not ) yet is hi hrlr obHged to that City,and muft allow no help to others that muit occauun a ncgled ofthem, except in great extraordinary cafes, where the pubiike good lequireth ic. So is it be- twixt a Paftoi and his fpetial block. When we are Ordained Mimlters without a jpecial charge, wc arc licenced and commanded to do our beft for all , as we fhall have a call for the particular exercifc ; buc when we have undertaken a particular charge , wc have retrained the exercifeofour gifts and guidance fo fpecially to that, that we may allow others no more then they can fpare, of our time and help, ex- cept where the publike good requireth it, which muft be firft regarded. From this Relation of Pa- ftor and Flock,anfe all the duties which mutually wc owe. As we muft be true to our truft, fo muft our people be faithful to us,and obey the juftDiredions that we give them from the word of Cj od.
2. When we are commanded toTak^heea t9 al! the Flock^\ it is plainly implysd, that iheFlcckj mufi he no^re*iter re^uUrly andurdmArily the» we are Cd- pahie of Over' feeing or talking heed of. That particu- lar Churches fliould be no greater, or Minifters no fewer , then may confift with a Taking heed to ««//. For God will not lay upon us nacural impoflibilities; He will not bind men on fo ftrid account as we are bound, to leap up to the Moon, to touch the Stars , CO number the fands of the Sea. If it be the Pafto- ral work to Over fee and Take heed to all the Flock,. then fure there muft be fuch a proportion of Paftors afsigned to each Flock, or fuch a number of fouls in the care of each Paftor, as he is able to take fuch faced to as is here required* Will God require of |
T he Reformed Taflor: 5 1
one Biftiop to take the charge of a whole County , or of fomany Parifliesor thoufandsof fouls, as he is not able to know or to over-fee ? Yea and to take the fole Government of them, while the particular Teachers of them are free from that undertaking f Will God require the blood of fo many Parifhes at one mans hands , if he do not that which ten or twenty, or an hundred, or three hundred men can no more do then I can move a Mountain > Thenvvo to poor Prelates ? This were to impofe on them a natural or unavoidable necefsity of being damned* Is it not therefore a moft doleful cafe that learned fober men (hould plead for this as a d^'firablc privt- ledge ? or draw fuch a burden wiUully on thera- felvcs ? and that they tremble not rather at the thoughts of fo great an undertaking f O happy bad it been for the Church, and happy for the Bi- (hops themfelves, if this mcalure that is intimated by the Apftole here had been ftillobferved; and the Diocefi had been no greater then the Elder! or Blfhops could Over-fee and Rule , fo that they might have Taken heed to all the Flock^} Orthat Paftors had been multiplyed as Churches mukiplyed , and the number of Over-fcers proportioned fo far to the number of fouls, that the/ might not have let the work be undone , while they affumed the empty ti- tles, and undertook irapofsibilities / And that they had rather prayed the Lord of the harveft to fend forth more Labourers, even fo many as had been proportioned to the work ; anu not to have under- taken ail rherafelvs. I fhouU fcarce commend ihc prudence or humility of that Labourer ( let his parts iti all other refpc<Ss be never fj great ) that E 2, would
5Z Gildas Salvianus .
wcuid not only undertake to gather in all the hai*- veft in this County himfelf, and that upon pain of death yea of dan'ination,buc would alio carncftiy contend for this prerogative
Ob). Vu\ there are others to Teach , though one only have had the Kulc.
Anf^. I'lcfled be God it was fo : and no thanks tofomeof them. But is not Government of great concernment to the good of fouls, as well as Preach- ing ? If not , then what matter is it for Church- Governors > { It be. then they that nullihe it by undertaking impofsibiiities, do go about to ru nc the Chnrche« and thcmfclvc?. if only preaching be ne- ceflary, let us have none but meer Preachers : what needs there then fuch a ftir about Government > But if Difcipline (in its place ) be nereffary too , what is it but enmity to mens falvation to exclude it ? and it is unavoidably excluded, when it is made to be his work that is naturally uncapab'e of performing ir. Hcthatw 11 command an Aimyalonc, may as well h'^'t It p^all bedejuoycdfor want of commani : And thc^chool-mailcr that will Over-fee, or Govern all the SchooFs in the County alone ^ may as well fay ^\i\n\^^thcj fhall be all ungovtmed : And the Phy- fitiaii that will undertake the Guidance of all the fick people in a whole Nation, or County, when he is not able to vifit or direft the hundfeth manof tfeem , may as well fay, Lee them perijh.
Oh But though they cannot Rule chcm by tbem- felves, they may do it by others.
Anfw, The nature of the Paftora! work is fuch , as muft be done by thcPaftor himfclf. He may not delegate a man that is no Paftor to Baptize or admi#
The Reformed TaUor. 53
niftcr the Lords Supper, or to be the Teacher of the Church : No more may he commit the Goveriimenc of ic to another. Ochcrwife by fo doing he makes that mm the Bi{hr.p,if he make him the immediate Kuler and Guid oi the Church : And if a Bifhop may make each Prtsbyter a B:(bop,lo he do but de- rive the power from him^thcn let it no more be held unlawful for ther.i to Ijovcrn, or to be Bifhop?. And if a Prchtc may do ir, iti:^ likeChritcr hts Apoftles might and have done It; for as we are to preach in C brifis name, and uo in any mans ; fo its likely that we muft Rule in his name. But of ihis fomewha. more anon.
Yet ftiil it muft be acknowledged that In cafe of necefsity,where there are not more to be had, one man m.Ty undertake the charge of more fouls then he is able wtll to over-fee particularly. Tut then he I tnuft only undertake r<?<?*o TV ^-r J?eci« fbrthem>and not to do all that a Pafror ordinarily ougiu t.o do. And this is the cafe of fome of us that have greater Pari(hes then we arc able to take that fpccizcl heed to,as their ftate rcquireth ; I muft profefs for my cv;n part, I am fo far from their boldnefs that dare venture on the fole Government of a County, that 1 would not for all £«^/j«^have undertaken to have been one of the two that fhould do all the Pai'oral work that God enjoyneth to that one Par'fh where i live, had I not this to fatisfie my confcience > that through the Ckarchej nectffitiss more car.nct he l^ad \ ayid therefore 1 mujl rather do y?:h^t ^ can , t^.^i* leave aU undone, bee ^[i I cannot do all. But cafes ©f un- avoidable necefsity, arenottobe the ftanding con- dition of the Church ; or at leaft it is cot dclirahle
E 3 that
54 Gildas Salvianus,
that it fliould fo be O hupfj C^^t^rch ofChnft^ were tht Lahftrerj but Able anci Faithful^ a» I proportion- ed in number to the number of fottis ; So that the Pa- ftors rvirefo manj/^or the farticuUr Flockj or Churches fo fmall^ that ^e might be able to Take heed to All the Flocks.
SECT. II.
HAving told you thcfc two things that are here implyed. I come next to the duty it felf that is exprcft. And this Taking heed to All the Flock in general is, A very ^reat care of the whole ami ever J p<^yt^ ^ith ^reat '^'afchfulnefs land diligence in the uje of all thofe holy actions and Ordinances which <jod hath required tjtr to mfe for their falvation. More particularly, this work is to l)c confidcr- ed: /
1. In refped to the /«^j>^ matter of it.
2. In refpcA to the ob]tct.
5. Inrcrpedtothcworkitfelf, or the cy^ctions whichwemuft do.
And 4. In refpcd to the End which we muft in- tend. Or it is not amifs if I begin firft with this laft, as being firft in our intention, though laft as to theaccainnient.
I. The ultimate end of our Paftoral over-fight , is that which is the ulcimate end of our whole lives ; Even the Pleafing and Glorifying of God, to which is connext the Glory of the humane nature alfo of Chrift,andthe Glorification ot his Church ,
and
The Reformed Ta/ior. 55
and of our felves in particular .• And the necrcr ends of ourofficejarcthe fandification, and holy obedi- ence of the people of our charge, their unicy,order, beauty, ftrength, prefervation and increafc ; and the right worfliipping of God, efpecially in the fo- lemn Afiemblies.
l>y which it is m3nife(l,that before a man is capa- ble of being a true Paftor of a C hurcti according to the tn\r.d of Chriil:, he muft have fo high an efti- mation of thcfe things, that they may be indeed his ends.
I. That man therefore that is not himfelf taken up with the predominant love of God and is not himfclf devoted to him, and doth not devote to him all that he hath and can do ; that man that is not ad- dided to the pleafingof God, and makethhiranot the Center of all his adions, andlivech not to him as his Cod and Happinefs : That is, that man that is not a (incere Chriil>ail himfe'lf, is utterly unfit to be a Paftor of a Church.
And if we be not in a cafe of defperate necefllty, the Church (hould not admit fiich.fo far as they can difcover them. Though to inferiour common works (as to teach the Languages, and fome Pbilofophy.to tranflatc Scriptures, o-c.) they may be admitted. A man that is nor heartily devoted to God,& addifled t ) his fervice & honour,will never fet heartily about the Paftoral work : nor indeed can he poiTibly ( while he remaineth fuch) do one part of that liork.no nor of any other, nor fpeak one word in Chriftian fincerity. For no man canbe fincere in the means, that is not fo in his intentions of the end. A man muft heartily Love Cod above al! ,
E ^ before
5^ GildasSalvianus;
before he can heartily fervc