CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Lastly, The necessity of it doth appear by the devils policy, who hath always stirred up Instruments to traduce their lives, to lay such things to their charges as they were never guilty of, and why? because if that be once received, that they are wicked hypocrites, they can never do any good; Christs life was traduced, that he was a friend to sinners, that he kept company with Publicans; You see they quarrelled even at his life; Athanasius was traduced for an Adulterer by the Arians, and this hath always been the custom of the devil and his Instruments to throw so much dirt and mire upon the godly Ministers of Christ, that men have not known what they are; I could tell you what the Papists say about Luther and Calvin, that you might think they were the vilest Monsters that lived, and this is because a godly life is a great conviction in the world, and aweth even the Enemies Conscience.

Lastly, The necessity of it doth appear by the devils polecy, who hath alwaies stirred up Instruments to traduce their lives, to lay such things to their charges as they were never guilty of, and why? because if that be once received, that they are wicked hypocrites, they can never do any good; Christs life was traduced, that he was a friend to sinners, that he kept company with Publicans; You see they quarrelled even at his life; Athanasius was traduced for an Adulterer by the Arians, and this hath alwaies been the custome of the devil and his Instruments to throw so much dirt and mire upon the godly Ministers of Christ, that men have not known what they are; I could tell you what the Papists say about Luther and Calvin, that you might think they were the vilest Monsters that lived, and this is because a godly life is a great conviction in the world, and aweth even the Enemies Conscience.

Use of Instruction, What is the duty of people even to follow Christ?¹ In this Prayer, he being to send out his Apostles, this he desireth as a chief thing, Truth and Godliness, a sound mind, and a godly heart, and the Apostles thought this to be of so great a consequence that when Ministers were ordained and set apart to the work, They spent that day in fasting and prayers; You cannot discover wicked and ungodly men better then in this, they care not what a Ministry they live under, or whether they have any at all; The more erroneous, the more profane and loose he is, they like him the better; Is this to pray as Christ did for thy Sanctification? God makes it a great judgement when he removeth faithful and wise Pastors, and sendeth foolish and wicked men in their rooms.