The truth hereof is manifest, by the experience of all ages,1 wherein it is strange to observe, how few men of any sort, especially of the better sort, after the calling of a Minister: and which is more strange, how few of those that are Ministers in name and title, do deserve these honourable names of an Angel, & an Interpreter, and the truth is too manifest in common ⟨image 18⟩practise, to insist much upon it, rather therefore let us see the reasons of it,2 and they be these principal: first, the contempt that lieth on that calling, it being always hated, by wicked and profane men, because it discovers their filthiness, and unmasks their hypocrisy:3 and their doctrine ofttimes is a fretting corrosive to their conscience, that they cannot welter, and wallow so quietly, and secretly in their sins, as otherwise they would, therefore is it that they spurn both against the calling, and the men, and watch them narrowly, & take hold of their least infirmities, thereby to disgrace them: judging that to cast contempt on that calling, is to remove shame from their own shameful courses: nor is it possible but that they should thus hate this calling, inasmuch as they hate so deadly both that law and Embassage which they bring, and that God whose Ambassadors they are. This hatred and disgrace in the wicked world, was that that caused Jeremiah to cry,4 w•e is me, and made him in the seeming of his natural reason, curse the time that ever he ⟨image 18⟩was a Prophet, for saith he, I am a man of contention, every man is at strife and enmity with me.5 The next reason is the difficulty, of discharging the duties of his calling: to stand in Gods presence, to enter into the holy of holiest, to go betwixt God and his people, to be Gods mouth to the people, and the peoples to God: to be the Interpreter, of the eternal law of the old testament, and the everlasting Gospel of the new, to stand in the room, and to bear the office of Christ himself, to take the care and charge of souls, these considerations are so many amazements to the consciences of such men, who do with reverence approach, and not with rashness, rush unto his sacred seat: this made Saint Paul cry out,6 who is sufficient for these things, and if Paul said who is?
The truth hereof is manifest, by the experience of all ages,1 wherein it is strange to obserue, how few men of any sort, especially of the better sort, after the calling of a Minister: and which is more strange, howe fewe of those that are Ministers in name and title, doe deserue these honourable names of an Angel, & an Interpreter, and the truth is too manifest in common ⟨image 18⟩practise, to insist much vppon it, rather therefore let vs see the reasons of it,2 and they be these principall: first, the cōtempt that lieth on that calling, it being alwayes hated, by wicked and prophane men, because it discouers their filthynes, and vnmaskes their hipocrisie:3 and their doctrine oftimes is a fretting corrasiue to their conscience, that they cannot welter, and wallowe so quietly, and secretly in their sinnes, as otherwise they would, therefore is it that they spurne both against the calling, and the men, and watch them narrowly, & take hold of their least infirmities, thereby to disgrace them: iudging that to cast contempt on that calling, is to remooue shame from their owne shamefull courses: nor is it possible but that they should thus hate this calling, inasmuch as they hate so deadly both that lawe and Embassage which they bring, and that God whose Embassaders they are. This hatred and disgrace in the wicked world, was that that caused Ieremie to cry,4 w•e is me, and made him in the seeming of his naturall reason, curse the time that euer he ⟨image 18⟩was a Prophet, for saith he, I am a man of contention, euery man is at strife and enemity with me.5 The next reason is the difficulty, of discharging the duties of his calling: to stand in Gods presence, to enter into the holy of holiest, to goe betwixt God and his people, to be Gods mouth to the people, and the peoples to God: to be the Interpreter, of the eternall lawe of the old testament, and the euerlasting Gospell of the new, to stand in the rome, and to beare the office of Christ himselfe, to take the care and charge of soules, these considerations are so many amazements to the consciences of such men, who doe with reuerence approch, and not with rashnes, rush vnto his sacred seate: this made Saint Paule cry out,
- 11 The truth hereof.1 The truth heereof.
- 22 The reasons hereof.2 The reasons heerof.
- 3Reason the contempt of it.
- 4Jeremiah, 15, 10.Ieremie, 15, 10.
- 52 Reason the difficulty.2 Reason the difficultie.
- 62 Corinth. 2, 16.
