THis scripture which I haue taken in hand, sheweth the paines of a faithfull Pastor: firste it commendeth the calling, Hebru. 5.4 as the author to the Hebrews did Aarons Priesthood, by saying that no man taketh that honour to himselfe, but hee that is called of God as Aaron was: and it sheweth what diligence is required of him that is called, Mala. 2, 7 for as Mallachy sayd: The priests lippes must preserue knowledge: so Salomon saide, [Page] The more wise the Preacher was, the more hee taught the people knowledge. The preachers mouth is like the gold pot wherin Manna was preserued for posterities: Exo. 16.33 we will heare of the good­nesse of this calling, and then knowe what pain is expected from him that hath this dignitie. Exod. 2, 16 The holie tongue doth honor Iethroe the priest of Ma­dian with the name of a Prince, as heere Salomon dooth the name of a Preacher with the person of a King: and God admonishing Ezechiell of his place and charge, saide: Sonne of man I haue made thee a watch man o­uer the house of Israell: Ezec. 33, 7 and to Ieremie he said, Thou standest before mee as my mouth: that none shoulde doubt but that they are Gods Lieftenants vpon earth in spirituall affaires, so God ad­uanceth his ministers aboue the rest, as Pharaoh lifted vp Ioseph aboue all the Egyptians: Gen. 41, 40 looke what they com­maund you in the Lorde, that must [Page] you practise in your life as Israel saide vnto Iosua: Iosua. 1, 17 euen as wee obeyed Moses in all things, so will we obey thee, onelie the Lord thy God be with thee as he was with Moses. Therefore saide Salomon The wordes of the wise are like goads and nailes fastened by the masters of as­semblies, giuen of one Teacher: Eccle. 12, 11 Goads to prick you forward to God-ward in the way of goodnes, wherein you are as slowe as the leaden heeled Asse, and the Snaile paced Oxe: Colos. 3, 16 Apoc. 10, 10 Nailes fa­stened: because the woord of Christ should dwell in you. As Iohn did eate the Angels booke, and men are like a rotten poast, wherein nothing tarieth that is not fastened well or driuen vp to the head: by the maisters of assem­blies, because the Pastor is the master of the congregation: Therefore saide the Disciples vnto Christ, Maister, Luke. 11, 1 Iohn. 10, 14 teach vs to praie, &c. Giuen of one tea­cher, because Christ is the head shep­heard, and wee all learne of him what [Page] to say, Ezec. 33.7 as you learne of vs what you shoulde doe: Christ reasoning with the harebrained Iewes about their gadding into the wildernesse to see Iohn the Baptist, mocketh their follie with, Matth. 11, 7 Went you to see a reed shaken with the winde, went you to see a man in sil­ken raiment? or went yee to see a Pro­phet? and at the last telleth them that he was more then a prophet, by how much hee that saith: Christ is come, excelleth him that said long sithence, Christ will come: so that all this be­ing laide together, Iohn Baptist is bet­ter then a man of mean or weak gifts, Iohn Baptist is better then a silken Courtier, Iohn Baptist is better then a Prophet: teacheth that menne should speak as reuerently of the preacher, as the sonne of God did of this Prophet. Apoc. 2, 1, Therefore the spirit graced the seauen Ministers of those seauen Churches in Asia, with the name of Angell. God hath honoured them [Page] diuers waies at sundrie times, partely, by woorking myracles by them, as when Peter and Iohn restored his lyms that was a cripple all his life be­fore, Actes. 3, 2 to signifie that God was with them, speaking to him by them, as he did to Ierichoes walles by seuen trum­pets of Rams hornes, Iosua. 6, 20 partley by per­swading men to amendement of life by them, as Agrippa said to Paul, thou almost perswadest me to be a Christi­an: Acts. 26, 28 But especially by euicting and conuincing the hardest hart by them, as Pharaoh confessed to Moses and Aaron, The Lord your God is holie, Exod. 9, 27 but I and my people are wicked: when Paul spake of his education, he said: Actes, 22, 3 I was brought vp at the feete of Gamaliel, sig­nifying that men should honour their teachers, Luke. 10, 39 as Mary kneeled at Christes feete: and therefore the king is com­maunded to receiue the lawe at the handes of the Priest, 2 King. 12 as Iehoash the Prince was instructed by Iehoiada the [Page] priest: and they that will vnderstande the excellencie of this calling, Hebr. 7, 7 must knowe that when Abraham the Patri­arch is blessed of Melchizedech the priest, the lesser is blessed of the grea­ter. As the place is great, so the pains of the Preacher cannot bee little, as Paul said: 1. Tim. 3, 1 He that desireth the office of a Bishop, desireth a worthy worke: whe­ther you take it for the place or for the paines, for hee that desireth the place, must deserue it with his paines, because: Iere. 48, 10 Cursed is hee that handleth the workes of the Lorde negligentlie. I tell you the small care and great ease that a number haue, is a great cause why Gods building goeth forward so slackly. Wisedome is not compared onelie to a feast for the pleasure of it, Prou. 9, 2 but to that tree of knowledge, for the profite therof, that men might desire to eate of it euery daie, Gen. 3, 22 as the people flocked about Christ to heare the worde. Matth. 13.4 The feare of God is wisedoms [Page] ingresse, the knowledge of God is wisedoms progresse, and the glory of God is wisedoms perfection.

The first point is, 1 Reg. 3, 9 Eccles. 5, 16 Actes. 7, 22 as Salomon desi­red wisedome, so he excelled in wise­dome: as Moses did in the Egyptian knowledge. This was the meanes of Iosephs aduācement in Pharaos king­dome, Gen. 41, 40 Dan. 2, 48 and of Daniels preferment in Babylon: and you may see howe the spirit of Dauid the father spake in Sa­lomon the sonne: the father said, Psalm. 78, 7 I feed Israell with a faithfull heart: the sonne saide, The more wise the preacher was, the more hee taught the people know­ledge. Salomon was like his ships, 1 Reg. 9, 28 that when they had gotten gold at Ophir, they brought it home to him: for hee seeketh for wisedome to serue his people with it. The Queene of Saba firste heard the reporte of Salomons great wisedome, and after that shee must needes come to trye it: so the wisedome of God resembleth the A­damant, [Page] by drawing vnto it the fur­dest hart, 1 Reg. 10, 6 as it did the Queen of Saba: and the Iron rod brusing the hardest heart, Psalm. 2, 9 Exod. 9, 27 Dan. 4, 30 as it did Pharaohs: and the right scepter, by suppressing the proudest king, as it did Nabuchadnezzar; if you lacke heauenlie wisedome, you must come to the Preacher, in whose mouth knowledge is preserued, like the manna that was laide vppe in the golden pot, Exo. 16, 33 for the spirits of the Pro­phets being subiect to the Prophets: 1 Co. 14, 32 1 Co. 14, 12 some haue the vtterance of wisdome, as Paul like a wise master builder laide the foūdation of religion in Corinth, 1 Cor. 3, 10 but if a man had as much wisdome as Salomon had, yet so like a bottomles pitte is Gods wisedome, that as hee which cannot number the starres is taught to be contēt with seeing them: Iob. 22, 12 so what we cannot expresse, we must admire, as Paul said: O the depth of the riches, Rom. 11, 33 both of the wisedome and know­ledge of God! wee may coniecture that [Page] Gods wisdome is exceeding great, Matth. 2, 1 in that the wise men came from the East to seeke more wisedome from his sonne. And in that they only are ac­counted right wise, Matth. 7.24 that hearing his word will bee led by it, as the wisards followed the starre. Matth. 2, 9 For although mē say of themselues, like Laodicea, Apoc. 3, 17 I am rich and increased in goods, and haue neede of nothing, yet for so much as she was wretched, poore, and blind therefore Paules counsell is, Roma. 12.3 Bee not wise in your owne conceit. Matt. 23, 34 And the spirit spake not in sport that saide: Be­holde I sende vnto you wise men: but mēt that the neglecting of Gods mer­cie, is the next way to plucke downe his iustice. 1 Sam. 3, 13 As old Ely brake his necke for not nurturing his young sonnes. You are neuer so safe as whē ye serue God.

Ely forgetting God, 1 Sam. 4, 18 brake his necke from falling with a low chaire, [Page] as soone as Iesabel by tumbling out of a high window. 2 Reg 9, 33

And they that stand (in their owne conceit) were best to take heede of a fall, 1. Co. 10, 12 and vse the Preachers knowledge like a looking glasse: indeuouring to amend the fault while yee are before the glasse; Iam. 23, 24 25 least going away, ye forget what was amisse. And then one sinne will drawe on another, as Lots daugh­ters first made their olde father drun­ken, Gen. 19, 33 34 and then lay with him. Or vse it as salt (for you must haue salt in your selues) as if you were either shaped out of the pillar that was Lots wife: Marke. 9, 50 or Elizeus had sprinkled some of that salt vpon you which hee cast into the spring of Ierico. 2 Reg. 2, 21 Salomon will note vnto vs nowe, what properties are found in a faithfull Pastor.

The first is knowledge or wisedom found in Salomon the Preacher: as if hee had read the booke offered to E­zechiel. Ezec. 2, 9

[Page]The second is zealous teaching, as if Salomons mouth had beene set a kindling with the coale of zeale that touched Esayes mouth: Esay. 6, 6 for the more wise the preacher was, the more hee taught the people knowledge. The thirde is holy life, wherein such men participate of the goodnesse of God: leading men by example of life, as wel as by word of mouth. And therefore a booke and hande were both presen­ted to Ieremie. Iere. 1, 9 And this causeth the people to heare as willingly, as the preacher speaketh diligentlie. As Sa­lomon caused the people to heare: so Christ saith, Matt. 15, 10 we must heare and vnder­stand: for Salomon taught the people knowledge.

Hauilah hath not onelie good golde: but it hath also Bdelium, Gene. 2, 11 12 and the Onix stone, and wisedome com­prehendeth many good things. Much [Page] teaching, and little learning: much speaking, and little hearing: much preaching and litle practising, 2 Co. 14, 28 maketh men in yeares children in vnderstan­ding. The wisedome of Salomon hath proceeded immediatelie from God, that graunted him that fauour in Gibeon, 1 Reg. 3.6 and as God gaue it him, so he giueth it to his people: for such as haue freelie receiued must freelie giue. When the Queene of Saba had soun­ded Salomons wisedome she said: 1 Reg. 10, 9 Bles­sed bee the Lorde thy God which loued thee, to set thee on the throne of Israell, because he loued Israell euer, and made thee King, to doe equitie and righte­ousnesse.

Honouring the giuer, and prai­sing the teacher of wisedome. Psal. 78.73 Dauid ruled the people by the dexteritie of his handes, and Salomon instructed them by the wisedome of his heart. So the king that careth not for his [Page] subiectes, like Salomon, 2. Chro. 15 3 is like Asa that let his people be without a priest, to keepe them in ignorance. The Ma­gistrate that doth not zealouslie inde­uour to minister discipline, is like the vniust Iudge, Luke. 18.5 that would not doe iu­stice but for shame. The pastor that instructeth not his flocke painfully, is like the abhomination of desolation: Matt. 24, 15 for hee sitteth where hee ought not. The father that bringeth not vp his sonne in the feare of God, 1. Sam. 2, 22 23, 24 is like olde Elie: And the mother that nurtureth not her daughter vertuouslie, can claime no kindred of the wife of A­braham: 1. Pet. 3.6 for they bee Saraes daugh­ters who doe Saraes duties. Paule commended the grandmother and naturall mother of Timothie, for their carefull keeping of him in that faith, which maketh men wise to sal­uation. 2. Tim. 1, 5

And he thought that Titus was ne­uer [Page] wise enough, Titus. 2.2 vntill he could teach all sortes their dueties. Because the Church is like a ship, and like a vine, and like a haruest, and like a bodie. For sith it is a ship, all shoulde helpe to guide it (like the Marriners that were troubled in the tempest where Ionas was) for their owne safetie. Iona. 1, 4, 5 Seeing it is a vine al should helpe to plant the vine, in hope to drinke the wine: as Noah dranke of the vine that he planted. And seeing it is an haruest, they that looke to mowe must learne to sowe. Gene. 9, 21 And if it bee a body, let euerie member doe his duetie. When Elie was olde, and sate in his chaire with his sight dimme, his handes shaking, his legges feeble, his back weake, and his heart trembling, hee was so vn­wildie that with feare he fell from his chaire, 1 Sam. 4.18 and brake his necke. Serue God then while you are yong, that he may saue you, whē you sit in a chaire [Page] for verie age like olde Elie. The impo­tent must bee borne withal, for they shewe that we may haue our limmes, but not the vse of them, as a man may haue fire in a flint stone, and yet feele no heate. Therefore said Christ, that Lazarus laye at the rich mans gate. Luke. 16, 20

An image is so called, partelie because it is the likenesse of the thing it doeth represent: but speciallie be­cause it is the imagination of man, Gene. 6, 5 whose thoughts beeing onelie euill, hee imagined that hee coulde make his maker. As Iereboam saide, Iere. 44, 17 The calues that he erected in Dan and Be­thel were the gods that brought Isra­el from Egypt: 1 Reg. 12, 28 So the meaning of the Preacher is, that hee which hath the chiefe place in the Church, and yet is like Dagon in the Temple: hauing a mouth that is shut vp like Iericoes gates: A tongue, Iosua. 6, 1 and yet possessed [Page] with a dumme diuell, hauing eares & heareth not his duetie, and eyes but leadeth not the blind.

He whose wisedome is pregnant, whose learning is competent, and whose bodie is healthful, & yet is in al points helples in his calling, that is an Idoll.

The purest water with stil standing soone stinketh, and is noysome, like those waters of Ierico. 2 Reg. 2, 19 Iames. 5, 3 Coine horded vp, is subiect to cankering. And one talent must be vsed: Luke. 19, 23 for thy Lord loo­keth for his owne with aduantage. He that said, Psal. 128, 2 Thou shalt eate the labour of thy owne hands, ment that men should earne breade before they eate bread. As Paul saide, 2 Thes. 3, 10 He that will not worke let him not eate. For such as eate that which they earne not, Gen, 3, 19 doe refuse the burden of the sonnes of Adam. And transgresse that lawe: 2. Thes. 3, 12 eate your owne breade. But Salomon is like the honey [Page] Bee, giuing vs the sweete that we ne­uer sweat for.

Salomon had not all his wisedome at once, but the more wise hee was the more hee taught the people knowledge. Exo. 24, 18 Hee attended on Gods leisure for wisedome, like Moses for the lawe. And the people tyed them selues to the preaching time, as the Cripples at Bethesda to the Angels mouing of the water. Iohn. 5, 3 All cannot say like Esay, Esay. 50.4 The Lorde hath giuen mee a tongue of the learned: Esay. 62.1 but all must saie like Esay, For Sions sake I wil not hold my peace. They that cannot doe what they would, must will what they can. Actes, 3, 6 As Peter saide: Golde and siluer haue I none, but such as I haue I giue thee. Iob said, Iob. 31, 17 that hee gaue of his bread to the hungrie: and Salomon imparted his wisedome to the ignoraunt. As birds recorde not alwaies, but some­times they sing out: as after buds commeth [Page] fruite: Num. 17, 8 So preachers deuise how to make you heauenly wise: and bud like Aarons rod, Iohn. 5, 17 to giue vnto you the neuer dying fruite. My father wor­keth hitherto, & I worke (said Christ) So no time is left for idlenes, nor any occasion slipt ouer, wherein or wher­by we may benefite our brethren by interpreting the Scriptures, as Christ did to the Disciples in the way to E­maus: Luk. 24, 27 Matt. 13.52 that they may be able so bring out of their treasure things both new and old.

There bee short tales, and our life is likened to one of them: to admo­nish vs that seing our daies weare out of date, Psal. 90, 9 as a shorte tale that is tolde draweth quickly to conclusion, there­fore all our life is little enough to doe good in, and we should stil be helping them that doe most neede, and chief­lie desire our aide.

Whether it bee in temporall mat­ters, [Page] or in spirituall affaires, Nehe­miah saide at the feast of Taberna­ [...]les: Eate of the fat, Nehe. 8, 10 and drinke of the sweete, and sende parte to such as haue none.

And Christ opened the Scrip­ [...]ures to them that talked of the scrip­ [...]ures: seeing the Preacher taught the people knowledge, howe say the Pa­pistes, that ignoraunce is the mother of deuotion? The doctrine of Salo­mon the preacher was it from heauen or of men? if it bee from heauen, vp­on paine of damnation they must be­leeue it: if of men, for shame let it not bee vnconfuted. Christ was of Salo­mons minde, for hee said: Iohn. 17, 3 This is eter­nall life, to knowe thee the true God and Iesus Christ whome thou hast sent: but by the Popes principle they that will be saued, must be ignorant. Roma. 10.2 Paul con­demned that deuotion that was not begotten of knowledge: the papistes [Page] commend deuotion, and condemne knowledge, as though euerie one should not loue him that doth beget, Iohn. 5, 1 Matt. 22.29 as well as him that is begotten. You erre because you knowe not the scrip­tures (saide Christ) nay saieth the Pope, the Church cannot erre. Such as are blinde, and woulde faine see, thinke themselues still out of the way: but they that are wilfully blind, think like Papistes that they cannot steppe awrie.

They that kept knowledge vnder locke and key, Matt. 23, 13 claime kindred of the Papistes: for they neither open to o­ther nor enter themselues. When ta­lents were deliuered, Luke, 19.13 the owner said, Occupie till I come: softe and faire saith the Papist, for we may do works of supererogation, and so you may soone haue your owne with aduaun­tage: Luke. 17, 10 as though none of them were vnprofitable seruantes, but could per­forme [Page] their duties and more too. You [...]e howe truly the Pope is called An­ [...]christ, Matt. 28, 19 for opposing himselfe against [...]hrist: Christ saide, Goe and teach all [...]ations: The Pope saith, stay & hold [...]our peace. Esay. 62, 1 Therefore Esay thwar­ [...]th him with, For Sions sake I wil not [...]old my peace.

Preachers loue Sion for Sions sake, [...]hey loue the Church, because it is [...]he Church of God. 1 Cor. 4, 1, 2 They studie to [...]nstruct you, and therefore are called [...]tewards to giue that to you which is [...]iuen to them: of whome it must bee [...]ulfilled that was saide to our Sauiour Christ: Mark. 12, 14 Thou teachest the way of God [...]ruly.

And the people must profit by his paines, as the Corinthians did by Pauls preaching, 1 Corin. 1, 5 who thanked God [...]hat they were made rich in all lear­ning and knowledge. Eccles. 1.7 As all riuers runne into the Sea that it may sende [Page] them backe to benefite a common wealth: so God hath heaped manie blessings vpō one man, that he might help other y ^t hath them not. Therfore Salomon caused the people to heare that the Pastor and the people might consent together in the word; 1 Reg. 7, 13 Acts. 4, 6 as Sa­lomon and Hiram agreed in the Tem­ples worke: hee must teach like the Apostles, and they must heare like Mary. Luke. 10, 39

The teacher applying him to the capacitie of the hearer, and the hea­rers harkening attentiuely to his doc­trine: Exod. 25, 20 as the Cherubins that coue­red the mercie seate looked one to­warde another. God mooued attenti­on before he spake to Israell, and Da­uid (by Gods example) conditioneth with them, That if they will come and heare him, Psal. 34, 11 hee will teach them the feare of the Lord, which proueth not that if the flocke hold backe from [Page] hearing them, the preacher may with drawe his speaking. If Sion woulde not heare for her owne good, Esay. 62, 2 Ezec. 2, 5 yet E­say must open his mouth for the chur­ches sake: and Ezechiell must speake in the name of the Lorde, that they may knowe that there hath beene a Prophet among them: for his sure discharge, and their certaine confusi­on.

The Israelites alwaies camped where the Arke was, Iosua. 3, 5 and if Christi­ans would attende vpon the Church, that woulde bee verified of the Prea­chers paines in them, that was spoken of the twelue stones that Ioshua erec­ted in Iordan: Iosua. 4, 9 There they haue re­mained vntill this daie. But this ma­keth a great many to spend their time as idly as the prodigall son consumed his money vainly. Luke. 15.13 That sinne hath so many & so mightie patrones to sooth it vp: as the high priestes harted the [Page] Souldiers with we will saue you harme­lesse. Matt. 28.14

Therefore men are seldome or neuer touched in conscience with the Preachers paines, Iohn 23, 22 as the Disciples were in spirite with Christes spirite: but sit in the Church as though they neither knewe where they were, nor what to doe as Israel in captiuity said, How shall wee sing the Lordes song in a strange land? Psal. 137, 4

But take heed, for your conscience is like your eye: for as the least hurt offendeth the tender eye, so your conscience will accuse you both of euery idle houre, and of euery minute that you haue misspent. And men sleepe most, when they should wake most, like those fond Virgins who thought their oyle would neuer bee spent, Matth. 25, 5 and as the prodigall sonne thought his purse bottomles: but you see it is wis­dome to haue oyle of our owne, for [Page] The iust man must liue by his owne faith. Abac. 2.4

Though the Preachers haue the booke in their handes, yet they holde the lawe in their mouth. Therefore saide God to Ezechiel, Ezech. 2, 8 Open thy mouth and eate that I giue thee. And to Io­suah: Iosua. 1, 8 Let not this booke of the lawe de­part out of thy mouth. Matth. 11, 7 So you must heare with your eares, and hearken with your heart, because the Iewes went but to see Iohn Baptist, they ca­ried eies chiefely: but such as come to heare a Preacher, bring eares spe­cially. Euerie gift was giuen to edifie, as eyes to see with, eares to heare with: and they must bee imployed in their seuerall seruice. Therefore saide Iohn that hee wrote that which our eies haue seene, 1 Iohn. 1, 1 our eares haue heard, and our handes haue handled of the booke of life. Gen. 2, 17 Hee that of all the trees in the gardē kept but one vntouched, [Page] of all the seuen daies requireth but one to bee sanctified to himselfe: Exo. 20, 10 and if wee cannot affoorde him that we wronge him much. As the meane is directed to the ende: so God sanctifi­ed the seuenth daie vnto vs, that wee might still keepe it holie vnto him. And therefore we assemble our selues to the house of God to heare the worde of God: as the people said one to an other concerning Ezechiels preaching: Ezec. 33.30 Come I pray you, let vs goe to the house of the Lord, and heare what is the worde that commeth from the Lorde.

When God commaunded that bels should bee hanged on Aarons garment hee gaue this reason for it; That when Aaron goeth into the holie place before the Lorde, Exo. 28, 35 his sound may bee hearde. So that if Preachers must sound like Aarons bels in their office of teaching, that they may bee [Page] hearde, then people must harken like Israell to his sounde, that they may bee fruitfull like the pomegranats on Aarons garment. GOD woulde haue a course of speakers, and a course of hearers: a course of tea­chers, and a course of learners: a course of Preachers, and a course of practisers: Psal. 122.3.4 when the Psalmist said that Ierusalem was builded like a Citie at vnitie in it selfe; hee prooued it with: For thither the tribes goe vp, euen the tribes of the Lorde to testifie to Isra­ell to giue thankes to the name of the Lorde.

So that Ierusalem is neuer builded like a citie at vnitie in it selfe, vntill the seruants of God assemble themselues willinglie to serue the Lorde. There­fore come diligently and spende your time fruitfullie in the house of the Lorde, least ye depart from the word like Iudas from the Sacrament, Luke. 22.3 as [Page] though you had tasted the sauour of death. Luke, 22.3 Sitte not in the house of God like Ioseph in the Iaile: Gene, 40, 14 thinking eue­rie minute a moneth vntill you bee gone, you must forget your own peo­ple, and your fathers house, and in­cline your eare to consider what God saith before hee will haue pleasure in your beautie. Psal. 45.10 11

Matth. 13.7Some trees are fruitlesse of them­selues, and keepe the ground so too, and such are dumme ministers, who haue no heauenlie wisedome them­selues, and much lesse can teach the people knowledge: Matt. 21, 19 and therefore are cursed like the Figge tree. Some grounde is barren by nature, and ma­keth the trees fruitelesse that growe therein, and such are the hard hear­ted people; in whome the immor­tall seede can take no deepe roote: and these are hopelesse, Matt. 13 20 21 like that stonie ground in the Gospel, who haue only [Page] the name, Apoc. 3, [...] but not the nature of the true Church; as the Sardians were saide to liue when they were deade indeede.