A preparation to the most holie ministerie wherein is set downe the true meanes to be well prepared to the same, by an exact description, and consideration, of the necessitie, excellencie, difficultie, and great profit therof; with the maruellous effects of the same: also a liuely exhortation to all youth, to giue themselues to the studie therof: and a confutation of the obiections which may be brought in any sort to touch the same: verie profitable and necessarie in these our times, ... Diuided into two bookes. Written in French by Peter Gerard, and translated into English by N.B.

CHAP. XI. An Exhortation to yong men, to bende theyr Studies to the holy Ministrie, with a con∣futation of those common obiections which doo discourage them.

IN truth now, beeing in the way liuely to exhort the youth to take vpon them this holy charge, from which they may be discouraged by reason of the infinite difficulties which are presented be∣fore them, wee doo it the more willingly,

because wee desire nothing more then the glorie of God, and the saluation of our Brethren, both which, cannot bee better furthered then by this charge. But alas, which way shall I beginne? The beautie, dignitie, and incomparable profite of the same, ought to be as sharpe spurres, to stirre vppe euerie one. When one desireth that some shoulde applie themselues vnto those things, which doo appeare so good in out∣ward shew, to allure and draw men there∣unto, it is verie necessarie to vse many rea∣sons and arguments, to bring them thereun∣to, and to pricke them forward: but in things that be of themselues maruailous, excellent, and verie profitable, euerie one ought to embrace them of his owne accord. There is no lightnesse so glorious, as that of the Ministrie, there is no calling, to bee com∣pared thereunto, in dignitie and profite: wherof then commeth it to passe, that many do so little regard it? Plato hath sayde that vertue is so fayre, that if her beautie could be discerned with these corporall eyes, it would prouoke great loue of itself: what difference is there between the beauty of the ministrie, and y^t of morall vertue? if one would propose vnto himself the litle reckoning & account, which is ordinarily made of ministers, hee would detest the same: we answer y^t this is the

obiection of an ambitious man, and to cor∣rect this ambition, thou must set before thy eyes, that the honour which thou dost desire and gape after, it is worldly and vaine. And if it bee so, thou wantest iudgement in desi∣ring it, and in that thou shewest the follie and vanitie of thy minde. Further, thou must consider, that the honour which thou dreamest of, to be in some other calling, is often times troublesome, greeuous, which is deare before it bee gotten, and hard to bee kept. He that will be a phisitian, how many trauailes & cares must he passe through? how often must he watch in the night, before he can attaine his purpose, & when he thinketh that he hath attained it, how must he toile & labor to be knowne, & to be had in estimati∣on? when he is once knowne, & sought after for his skill, is he then more quiet & at rest? must he not sometime rise out of his bed to help his patient? he must make haste, he must ride in post many times with the daunger of the losse of his own health: what more? whē he cōmeth to visit his patient, what sauours is he constrained to smel? & the better to know the qualitie of y^e disease, & the issue therof, he must somtime view the verie excrements of the sick man, and taste them: what pleasure I pray you, or what delight cā he take in that? doth the lawyer endure lesse trauels? doth he

enioy his honors with more peace and tran∣quilitie of the minde? how many times in the day, doth one or other come & knock at his gate, and breake his head with solliciting his matter, which hee hath committed vnto his hand? Moreouer, thou must consider, that all these affayres for which they are so tormen∣ted, and continually vexed, they are about earthly things, and so consequently, all the honor & profit which they get by the same, is transitory, and vanish away as the smoake. To conclude, meditate thou vpon this, for thy comfort, that thou art honoured in the administration of thy ministerie, of all those that are wise, and feare God: and seeing that is the true honour, which commeth frō good men, and not from sensual men, we may con∣clude, that thou hast more honor then the o∣ther. For in truth, the honour that is receiued from men well instructed, is to be preferred before that which is giuen of the ignorant. But of all things propound before thee, that thou art honoured of God. For the scripture speaking of the Preachers of the word, doth teach vs, that Christ hath said: Whosoeuer ho∣noreth you, honors me, &c. In this world when we are honoured of Kings and Princes, and great Lords, we make more account of that honour, then of that which wee receiue from those that be inferiors, because that the grea∣ter

that they are that honoureth vs, so ought their honour to be prised and valued. Seing then God doth so honour Ministers and theyr Ministrie, that hee attributeth that honour vnto them, which is giuen vn∣to himselfe: wherefore dost thou that art a Pastor, take care for the honour of men? And if thou dost adde hereunto, those ho∣nourable titles which are giuen vnto faith∣full Pastors, thou wouldest make lesse ac∣count of the honour of the world, and e∣steeme more the incomparable honour of the ministrie. But if any other shall obiect, that therefore he is discouraged, because that the Ministers for the most part are poore, needy, and in miserie, we answere that this is the obiection of a couetous man: and to correct this vice of couetousnesse, consi∣der on the other side, that they that haue more meanes to liue by, then other, yet they also bee poore: and further, that pouertie is no vice, but that it is as acceptable vnto God of it selfe, as riches, when as well the one as the other doo come from GOD, if they bee vsed as they ought.

Secondly, think with thy self, that there is at this day, almost no men, which are addicted to any other study, as to any arte mechanick, who doo finde more easily, honest conditions

to liue, then those that haue giuen them selues to the studie of diuinitie, as wee haue seene within this seuen or eight yeares, that many Phisitians, Lawyers, Aduocates, Proc∣tors, Notaries, many marchants, many great Lordes and gentlemen, beeing gone out of France, and other places, are constrained to trauaile vp and downe in strange Coun∣tries, and haue suffered much want, al∣though they haue beene skilfull in their pro∣fession, and haue beene rich at home, but those that haue studied diuinitie, haue founde alwaies many commodities to swee∣ten the rigour of theyr exile. Thirdly, consider, that if they haue not such goods, and richesse, as many Marchaunts, Arti∣ficers, and other men of trades in this world, that God hath giuen vnto them a contented life, which is accompanied with godlinesse, and the feare of God.

In the fourth place, thou must meditate, that GGD is the plentifull rewarder of all the Ministers of GOD, and thou must thinke vppon all those excellent promi∣ses of GOD, which hee maketh in his worde, to nourish all liuing creatures. For if hee feedeth the beastes of the fielde, he will much more nourish men, and if he nou∣risheth all men, much more the faithfull,

and principally those whom he hath appoin∣ted, for the teaching and leading of them. To make an ende of this point, sette before thine eyes, that if they abound not in tem∣porall, and earthly goods: yet they are riche in the knowledge of the word of God, in the vnderstanding, and reuealing of his secrets, which are the true riches of the soule: and see∣ing that those be the true riches, cōsider that the more thou aboundest with thē, the more thou art truly rich: for these riches wil bring vnto thee so much ioy and gladnesse, as the corporall and worldly goods, doo bring vnto them that possesse them, griefe, and care, and so enioying these true and sincere spirituall rithes, why dost thou take such thought for the riches of this world? If another doth re∣ply, that his heart is pulled downe, because that ministers are ordinarily sorowfull, pen∣siue, full of care and melancholy, I may de∣mande of him, why are they more then o∣ther men? These bee vaine and imaginarie fansies, forged in the braine, of I knowe not what worldly men, for they are as ioyfull as other, and it is as lawfull for them as for any other. It is true, it is their dutie to be sage, wise, prudent, modest, graue, and honest, but this doth not hinder them, but that they may vse a moderate ioy, and agreeable to their vo∣cation: and on the contrary, this ioy doth

bring more contentation, as it differeth from the reioycing of the prophane. Seneca sayth in a certaine place, that we must gouerne our selues in such sort, that none may think vs too seuere, and again, that none despise vs, as those that be vile & contemptible, & that we must more delight in profitable matters, then in things that be rediculous: & he addeth, that one may mingle sometime amongst graue & serious matters, those things that be plea∣sant, but we must take heed that they bee so tempered, that they do not discredit their ho∣nour. If this bee so, who is he that thinketh the Pastor worthie of reprehension, if some∣time vpon occasion he vseth pleasant words, and full of delight (which are more the signes of gentleman-like nature, then of any vice) seeing that it is proper and naturall to great and rare personages to haue (as it is sayd in the common prouerb) some grace in theyr speech? But some will obiect that they must of necessitie abstaine from many plea∣sures, which are lawfull to others, which be in other callings. Lette vs demaunde of them againe what they bee, if one ima∣gineth that they ought not to vse the na∣turall pleasures, which are, to drinke, to eate soberlie, and many such like, which our outward senses do enioy, he may bee answe∣red, that it is lawful for them to vse them, as it

was for the Patriarches, Prophets, Apostles, and Iesus Christ himselfe, who was present at a marriage, and at banquets, and had the fruition of these ordinarie thinges, as well as any other. If any meane those plea∣sures which are vnprofitable and superfluous, he may be answered, that these pleasures are proper vnto Epicures, & are cōmon to brute beasts. If one vnderstands carnall pleasures, as to gourmandize, and to be drunken, and to bee riotous in excesse, in which sensuall men doo take theyr pleasure, hee may bee aunswered, that these bee the pleasures of voluptuous men, and that such pleasures be of their owne nature so filthie, detestable, and infamous, that when they are once na∣med, they ought to bee abhorred, by reason of those infinite mischiefes which they draw after them, without making any mention of the shame, sorrow, and repentance, which doo ordinarily accompanie them. But lette vs oppose vnto these, that they may conti∣nually possesse the ioy of the spirit, which is the true ioy, I mean the vnderstanding of the holy scripture, the meditations of the same, the reuelation of the great secrets of God: this is the ioy of the holy ghost, of which Saint Paul speaketh, and mention is made in all the worde of GOD. This is the ioy with which the Angels are satisfied, and

reioyce with all the elect and faythfull that may bee, the which is ioy with out cōparison what can any desire that is greater? and why shoulde any bee lesse affectionate, to the studie of the Ministrie, if that hee bee but depriued of those pleasures which are prophane and vnlawfull. Finally, if another shall say, that hee is kept backe from dedicating of himselfe vnto the Mini∣strie, because that Ministers are subiect vnto infinite daungers, we aunswere, that this is the replie of a coward, and of a faint∣hearted man: wee may oppose against this, that princes, gentlemen, souldiers, marchants, and euerie condition of men, doo not liue more safely. The higher that Princes are ex∣alted, the more they are assailed with feare and continuall dangers. Alwaies (saith Chri∣sostome) a great state is subiect to great feare, as the bowes of trees, y^e higher that they are, the more are they shaken with euery little puffe of wind that bloweth, so those that are exalted vnto the top of the greatest honors, are often times troubled, & do imagine their estate almost desperate, not onely by euerie small report of bad newes y^t may bee brought vnto them, but also they are oftentimes in daily feare of them, which are appointed for the protection of their person. The gentle∣man is no lesse assured, neither in peace nor

war. In peace it is most certain, that he must suffer and indure many paines and troubles, in conuersing with them, with whom hee hath any thing to doo, and this likewise is common to euerie condition of man. In warre, amongst the torments of mind which he may haue (if it may be called the torment of the minde) hee must bee readie to finde out his Prince, and to obey in all things that it pleaseth him to commaunde him. To be briefe, he must not stay at his own house, for otherwise hee may bee counted a carter, or one that keepeth the chimnie corner, or els he may fall into some other mark of infamie The estate of the souldiour is nothing bet∣ter, for hee is compassed with so many dan∣gers, that euerie houre hee shall putte his life in hazard, seeing that hee must some∣time go to the assault, sometime to the skir∣mish, sometime to the battaile, sometime to the breach, and many other encounters, which death many times follows hard at the heeles. The Marchant liueth not more safely, but with more feare and trembling. How dooth hee quake for feare many times, when hee goeth vppe and downe to fayres, is hee not constrained to passe through woods and forrests? It seemeth vnto him, that he alwaies beholdeth theeues and rob∣bers after his taile, to rob him of his treasure,

and sometime to cut his throate, and that not without cause, because he cōmonly spieth out such in his way. Is he in greater securitie vp∣pon the sea? The pyrats, and other spies, lye alwaies in wait to catch him, without making any mention of the tempests, and stormye weather, vnto which, they are continually exposed, and are not far from death, but euen the breadth of two ynches, as one of the phi∣losophers hath said. To be briefe, euery man, of what art or misterie so euer hee be, is he not subiect to many hazards, yea vnto more then the ministers are? because that they commonly staying with theyr flocke, accor∣ding to their calling, are in more safetie then those that trauaile hither and thither? But if it so fall out, that they be in daunger when they are with their flocke, in the middest or nigh to the aduersaries of the truth, there is none of their faithfull hearers, but that will vse all y^e meanes they can, yea and vēter their liues for the preseruation of theyr person, as we haue seene many times in France, and in other places, that many haue bin preserued by these means. When they are in the army, their vocation is to preach, to aduise, to ad∣monish, and principally to be neare vnto thē which do cōmand, & not to go & rū at al en∣coūters, as captains, & souldiers, & other must do, according to their duty, & cōsequētly, they

are not inuironed with so many dangers as o∣ther men are. Further, propose vnto thy self, that if they indure any afflictions, or tormēts of the minde, that it is for the honor of God. And consider that if Princes, Noble men, & Artizans, do suffer voluntarily an infinit marterdome, one for ambition, the other for couetousnesse, an other I know not for what vanities, much more, none ought to feare, or to doubt at all to bee troubled, or to suffer shipwracke, euen of life it selfe, for the ad∣uancement of the glory of God, and for the saluation of his brethren, which are things so rare, and so precious, that the sonne of God doubted not to shed his bloud for thē. What ioy and cōfort may come vnto them by these sufferings, for which the Apostles and other of the faithfull reioyced so much? What man is so eloquent, that can expresse this in words? But for thy souereigne com∣fort, set before thee, that he whom thou ser∣uest, is strong, & mightie, for to defend thee against any thing that may happen: who is thy rocke, thy buckler, thy Tower, and who will neuer forsake thee in time of need. God saith by his Prophet, That he that toucheth the faithfull, toucheth the apple of his eie. Hee speaketh this of all the faithfull in generall: how much more then, doth hee vnderstand the Pastors, whome he hath ordained to be

guides vnto others. In mans body there is no∣thing that we do so charily regarde, as the ap∣ple of the eye, because that is the guide of the other members. If then the Pastors bee the apples of the eies of God, that is, those whom he loueth, and keepeth as his onely treasure, who doubteth, but that he hath more care in preseruing them, then wee haue in keeping our sight? To conclude, if any man opposeth whatsoeuer he can, or what hee may deuise or inuent, as obstacles and hinderaunces to disswade any from the loue of the ministerie of the word of God: we know also that there are sufficient aunswers to confute him, and which are of more force by the grace of God to inflame them that haue any heart at all (if they can vnderstand them) that no reasons can be alleaged to discourage them. Wher∣fore, let vs beseech the Lorde God, with an ardent heart, and deuout minde, that where∣as the ministerie is a diuine and spirituall thing, and men by nature sensuall, and giuen vnto the world, that it would please him by vertue of the holy Ghost, to roote out of diuers mens hearts, these carnall and wordly affections, and plant, and as it were imprint in them, a holy desire of applying themselues most earnestly vnto this holy vocation: that he would vouchsafe, to inflame our hearts more and more, with the fire of his holy spi∣rit,

and so forme and fashion them, that they shall not neede any further helpe. Finally, that he would direct and guide them, that they may be able to finish and accomplish theyr courses, in such sort, that the efficacie and power thereof, may redounde vnto the restoring of many Kingdomes vnto Christ, yea euen vnto the renewing of the face of the whole earth, the whole being done for the singular comfort of the faithful, and prin∣cipally, for the aduancement of Gods glory: to whome bee all honour, praise and glory, both now and euermore. Amen.

Notes

• A confuta∣tion of the obiection of the ambiti∣ous.
• A confuta∣tion of the obiection of the co∣uetous.
• A confuta∣tion of those that loue plea∣sure.
• Rom. 24. Gal. 5.
• A confuta∣tion of the obiection of those that be carefull.
• Chryso∣stome vpon the second of Mathew.
• Zach. 2