A doore of hope, also holy and loyall activity two treatises delivered in severall sermons, in Excester / by Iohn Bond ...

2. Partiular Lesson, may be to Ministers.

Brethren, I confesse my selfe one of the last and least of all

your Tribe; but yet so cleere and necessary is this lesson that the meanest Embassador may, nay, must presse it upon us at this time: suffer therefore the word of exhortation.

Now or never is the nick of time in which we ought to play the trumpeters, * 1.1 to stirre and call men up to the helpe of the Lord in this great worke; who knowes but that that God which did throw downe flat the walls of Jericho by the trumpets (though meane ones) of seven Priests going be∣fore the Arke; I say, * 1.2 who knowes, but he may also be plea∣sed to doe great things now by our poore service? therefore let us up and be doing, and if we doe need spurres in our sides because the way seems somewhat cragged, let us consider these two or three Motives.

First, looke we upon the eminent examples of our most ancient and famous Scripture-Predecessors in like times and cases; I meane, let us turne over the Histories of Deliveran∣ces and Reformations in Judah, and there we shall find that their Prophets, Priests and Levites, were some of the greatest and most active instruments in both, they were (as it were) the holy bellowes to blow up the refiners fire. Let us take an instance or two to kindle us. First, in that Deliverance and Reformation in the beginning of young King Jehoash his raigne. * 1.3 There good Jehojada the high Priest (being there∣unto called) is the very primum mobile, * 1.4 the founder and finisher of that great worke, yea, that tripartite Nationall Covenant, to which the Lord, the King and the people were parties, was contrived and perfected by his meanes. * 1.5 So (se∣condly) in King Hezekiahs Reformation, as the first thing that he beginneth withall is the Temple; so the first persons that we find him consulting with, * 1.6 they are the Priests and Levites. He brought in the Priests and Levites, and gathered them together into the East-street, and said unto them, Heare ye me, ye Levites, sanctifie now your selves, &c. Yea, and for fur∣thering that Covenant which he made, these, must be the cheefe men in the businesse, * 1.7 Now it is in mine heart (saith he) to make a Covenant with the Lord God of Israel, My sonnes, be not now negligent, for the Lord hath chosen you to stand be∣fore him, to serve, and that ye should minister unto him and burne

incense. 'Tis no meane honour (Brethren) to be made some of the prime and immediate Ministers of the Lord in such great workes; and yet alas (I speake it to mine griefe, and to the generall shame of our Tribe) who more backward to set on Deliverance and Reformation now, then are many of us? The Protestation, the Declaration for abolishing of Images, &c. how slowly, how faintly are they execu∣ted? Yea, and the more dully I beleeve in many places, because the execution of them partly depends upon the Mi∣nister. Let all the true Embas••adours of Christ think upon this and be kindled.

2. Another Motive may be this, Our very Callings doe presse us hereunto. * 1.8 We are said to be Watchmen, we are Seers, yea, we are called trumpeters (as before,) and what is meant by all these, but that it is our duty to descry publike evills and dangers, to discover opportunities of good, and so to call men off from the one, and onward to the other?

3. Thirdly, this is a meanes both to settle and prosper us all in our functions, and to entaile them, and a blessing up∣on our posterities. See how the Tribe of Levi came by their Ministeriall prerogative. * 1.9 When Aaron and the people had made a Calse, for this great sinne justice must be ex∣ecuted, * 1.10 and Moses calleth for it. Then Moses stood in the gate of the Camp, and said, who is on the Lords side? let him come unto me. And all the sonnes of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. Being called they doe promote justice. Hereupon see what a Reward and Blessing followed. * 1.11 First a Reward. And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Bring the Tribe of Levi neere, and present them before Aaron the Priest, that they may minister unto him. * 1.12 Secondly, a Blessing. And of Levi he said, let thy Thummim, and thy Urim be with thy holy one, * 1.13 whom thou didst prove at Massah, &c. Who said unto his Father, and to his Mother, I have not seene him, neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his owne children, &c. They shall teach Jacob thy Judgements, * 1.14 and Israel thy Law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt Sacrifice upon thine Altar. Blesse Lord his substance, and accept the worke of his hands, smite thorow the loynes of them that rise against him,

and of them that hate him, that they rise not againe. There is a blessing with a witnesse. See also how Phineas and his posterity came to have the Priest-hood setled upon them, it was his publike zeale which procured that; and therfore see what is said of him and his, * 1.15 And the Lord spake unto Moses saying, Phineas the sonne of Eleazar, the sonne of Aaron the Priest hath turned away my wrath from the chil∣dren of Israel, &c. Wherefore say, Behold, * 1.16 J give unto him my Covenant of peace, and he shall have it, and his seed after him, * 1.17 even the Covenant of an everlasting Priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, &c. Would we then Brethren upon a blessed time, in a blessed worke, follow the presidents of our blessed Predecessours, now in glory? Would we adorne our high Calling, confirme our selves in it, and (perhaps) en∣taile the same upon our posterities after us? In a word would we make us and ours rich in mercies of all sorts? Lo, now, now, is that precious time in which we above others, are called (in an holy and loyall way) to informe the minds, to kindle the hearts, to open the eyes and mouthes, and to strengthen the hands of all our people for the furtherance of the blessed worke of Reformation. And let me say further unto you all (and to my selfe in the last place) somewhat like that of Mordecai to Esther, * 1.18 Who knoweth whether wee are come to our places, to our callings, yea into the world, for such a time as this?

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ezek. 33.3. &c.
• * 1.2

  Josh 6.20.
• * 1.3

  2 Kin. 11.
• * 1.4

  ver. 4, 5, &c.
• * 1.5

  2 Chr. 29.3.
• * 1.6

  ver. 4. ver. 5.
• * 1.7

  ver. 10. ver. 11.
• * 1.8

  Ezek. 33.2, &c y Sam. 9.9. Isa. 58.1.
• * 1.9

  Exod. 33.
• * 1.10

  ver. 26.
• * 1.11

  ver. 27, 28. Num. 3.5, 6.
• * 1.12

  Deu••. 33.8.
• * 1.13

  ver. 9,
• * 1.14

  ver. 10. ver. 11.
• * 1.15

  Num. 25.10. ver. 11.
• * 1.16

  ver. 12.
• * 1.17

  ver. 13.
• * 1.18

  Est. 4.14.