SIr , vnlesse I do very much mistake , I haue often heard you in your publike sermons vrge the sufficiency that ought to be in a Minister , and especially for the clearing of doubts and cases of conscience among those of whom the holy Ghost hath made him an ouerseer .

It is not vnlike , that among other points deliuered in the ordinarie ministery , you haue receiued this also : for I am well aduised , that of old it was the appointment of God , that the Priests lips should preserue knowledge , and men should seeke it at his mouth . Mal. 2.7 . So that we all , as many as tender the good of the Church of Christ , haue cause to bewaile our countries estate , in which are so many Wels without water , 2. Pet. 2.17 . as S. Peter termeth them , and that not vnfitly : for as a well placed by the way side , in regard of the outward séeming thereof , putteth the poore thirsty traueller in hope of some refreshing ; who repairing to it , and finding nothing but emptinesse , goeth on his way with the greater discouragement : so these kind of men standing in the Church of God , do by reason of their outward habite & semblance of grauitie , make the wearied , distressed & perplexed Christian conceiue , that if he haue recourse to them he shall certainely be reléeued : but yet when he maketh triall , he findeth them to his greater griefe , not vnlike to the images of the Heathen , Which haue mouthes and speake not ; Psal. 115.5 . not hauing the tongue of the learned , Isa 50.4 . that they should know how to minister a word in time to him that is weary . But tell me neighbor , I pray you , this being granted , what you would inferre hereupon ?

Surely , that which I would inferre hereupon is this , that you being by your calling a Minister , are therefore able , and being also by the prouidence of God that Minister , vpon whose labours I must especially depend , are willing also to enter discourse with me , and to affoord me your best helpe for my better vnderstanding in some points , wherein I haue of late dayes bene very much perplexed .

For mine abilitie in this behalf , what it ought to be I know , and what I wish I it to be , I know also ; yet whatsoeuer it is , I shall be most willing ( as my dutie is ) to spend my time , to bestow my labour , and to employ my best endeuors in so holy a businesse as is your building vp in knowledge , and your furtherance in the wayes of godlinesse . And I do heartily wish , that both you and others of our neighbors would more often giue me the like occasion , I should then the better know your doubts , The profit of conference betwixt the Minister and his people . and so fit my selfe to speake in preaching to euery mans conscience , and you also should by that means be resolued in many things , which for lacke of conference must néeds breed scruple , Heb 5.14 especially in those which haue not yet through long custome exercised wits to discerne both good and euill .

I am not a litle glad to heare this from you : for to tell you the truth plainely without flattery , I haue heard some complaine of a certaine strangenesse in you and others of your coate , which they say hath discouraged them from aduenturing to conferre with you .

That may be but a pretence , & yet it will not altogether excuse either others or my selfe herein : happily we be not so tender ouer the wants of our people as we ought to be . Howsoeuer to preuent any such feare in you for this time , I pray you be bold to speake your mind freely , and you shall find me far from seeming weary of you , or from giuing you any occasion to thinke that I am vnwilling to seeke to resolue you ( as I may ) in any thing that may trouble you . And I pray God , the God of all grace , euen for Christs sake , so to blesse this our conference , by giuing to vs both a right iudgment in al things , that it may be both to his glorie , and to our further comfort .

It is not vnlike , Resistance doth euer accompany the preaching of the truth neither yet indeed is it to be maruelled at , as though some strange thing were come vnto vs . The diuell knoweth by long experience , that the preaching of the word is the ruine of his kingdom , & that therby he is made like lightning to fall downe from heauen . Luke 10.18 . And therefore it hath euer bene his practise , at the very first entrance of sincere preaching , ● . Tim. 3.8 . to raise vp some men of corrupt minds , to resist the truth , and to stop the happie proceedings of the Gospell . The first Preacher mentioned in the Scripture , is Enoch the seuenth from Adam , together with the relation of whose doctrine , the text mentioneth also the cruell speakings , Inde 14 15. and violent curses of wicked sinners against him . The next after him was Noah , ● Pet. 2.5 . which was a Preacher of righteousnesse : and howsoeuer the storie mentioneth expresly no tumults raised vp against him , yet it may easily be gathered , in that he preaching so many yeares before the comming of the floud , yet all that while we do not find any one to haue bene reclaimed , but they all continued in their accustomed securitie , and knew nothing till the floud came and tooke them all away . Mat. 24.39 . Passe from him to Moses , of whose resistance the storie relateth many particulars : at his first vndertaking any authoritie among the people , in séeking to end a strife betwixt them , he was taken vp short with the common spéech , Exod. 2.14 Who made thee a man of authoritie and a iudge ouer vs ? After , when he was sent backe into Egypt to deliuer the people from the bondage of Pharaoh , Exod. 5.20 . the story is a witnes how often and openly he was gainsaid , sometimes by the people , they murmuring at him ; sometimes by Iannes and Iambre , 2 Tim 3 ● . Numb. 16. two Egyptians , somtimes by Korah and his complices : so that though the Lord wrought mightily by Moses , yet he had daily experience of the malice of the wicked against the truth . Now for the times of the Prophets , one Ieremie may be a sufficient witnesse : he saith , Ierem. 20. ● . 10 he heard the railing of many , and the word of the Lord which he preached was a reproach vnto him , and in derision daily . If you examine the times after Christ , at the first spreading of the Gospell , this wil be more apparant . Run through the book of the Acts : Act. 2.13 . the preaching of Peter and Iohn was entertained first with mocking : afterwards more open violence was vsed , Act. 4.2 . & the men in authoritie tooke it grieuously that they taught the people , and by common consent put them to silence . Ver. 18. Steuen was a man ful of faith and of the holy Ghost , and they were not able to resist the wisedome and the spirit by which he spake , Act 6.5 9.10.12 yet certaine arose euen of the synagogue , and moued the people against him . Paul was mightily withstood , Act. 13.8 . Act 14 19. Act. 19 24. 1. Tim. 1.15 . & 2.17 . sometimes by Elimas the sorcerer , sometimes by the Iewes , sometimes by Demetrius and those of that faction , somtime by Phygellus and Hermogenes , otherwhiles by Hymeneus and Philetus . Thus we haue euen a cloud of witnesses to confirme this , that it hath euer bin the diuels course by all meanes to withstand the preaching of the truth . And therefore maruell not , good neighbor , at it , when you see the like in these times : these are Satans old pranks , and he will thus bestirre himselfe to the end .

Blessed be God , you haue well satisfied me in this : so that I now see that those which loue the truth , haue cause to reioyce at it , rather then to be dismayed when they shall see the outrage of the world , and the fury of carnall men against the publishing of the Gospell .

You are not deceiued : for the diuel his strugling on this wise , sheweth that there is a stronger then he come , to bind him , Lu● 11 . 2● . and to take his armor from him . And though the oppositions of men are at the first assault somthing troublesome , yet we haue euer cause to reioyce , when wee can say iustly , Luke 6.23 . After this maner did they to the Prophets .

Yet sir , by your leaue , I cannot but maruell , that seeing the preaching of the word is so excellent a thing as it is , euen the power of God vnto saluation , Rom. 1.16 . men should notwithstanding so eagerly resist it , and shew themselues so great enemies vnto it .

You wil cease to wonder , when you shal truly vnderstand the causes mouing worldly and vnregenerate men to malice and maligne that , which indeed as you say , if the worth thereof were knowne , they ought rather with al reuerence to embrace : and if you thinke that it may be helpfull vnto you in that , wherein you desire to be resolued , I will open the same vnto you somthing more at large .

You cannot content me better , then if you shall vndertake to discourse therof : for ( as I suppose ) when I haue once learned the true cause why preaching is so much misliked , I shall the losse feare the pretenced reasons which I dayly heare to be alleaged against it .

Truly I cannot but beare witnesse to the truth hereof out of mine owne experience . For howsoeuer , I haue now learned , I thanke God , to say with Dauid ; Let the righteous smite me , Psal. 141.5 . for that is a benefite ; let him reproue me , and it shall be a precious oile that shall not breake my head : yet I well remember , when I first heard preaching , I was many times discontented : me thought the Preacher was too peremptory , and a great deale more plaine then needed ; yea I had much ado at times , not to perswade my selfe that I was chiefly aimed at in some things , and that the Preacher had receiued some secret informations touching me and my demeanour , which he there opened in the pulpit . So hard a thing is it for flesh and bloud to beare the words of reproofe , yea though in the witnesse of a mans owne conscience he hath euery way deserued the same . But I hartily beseech God on the behalfe of you and others of your sort , that he would enlarge your spirits , Eph 8 19. and giue vtterance vnto you , that you may open your mouthes boldly to publish the secret of the Gospell . For I thinke there were neuer any dayes of greater securitie , Isa. 58 1 in which it is needfull that the men of God should lift vp their voice like a trumpet , to shew the people their transgressions and the house of Iacob their sins : because indeed as it was said of old , Zach 1 11. All the world sitteth s●ll and is at rest . And I wish vnfainedly , that the seuerall watchmen in their particular charges would remember that Item which the spirit of God giueth by the Prophet . Isa. 62 6. Ye that are mindfull of the Lord keepe not silence . But sir I am afraid I do too much interrupt you , therefore I pray you proceed to shew the next reason of dislike .

You haue said the very truth . We can be content to heare the word vntill it rifle vs . But as a purging potion , as long as it is in drinking , is but as other drink vntil it worke , and then we could be content to cast it vp againe : so we can quietly heare the word vntill it work vpon vs , but then it seemeth a burden vnto vs . The second cause of the dislike of sincere preaching But to come to the opening of the second reason of the dislike of preaching : I haue by obseruation found it to be this , because preaching is ( as they suppose ) an enemy vnto libertie , a thing which by nature euery man desireth to enioy . In the second Psalme we reade what is the opinion that men haue of Christian obedience , Psal. 2.3 . they call it bands & cords , that is to say , meere seruilitie and slauery , a base and ignominious thing to be conformable . This is the very right conceipt which worldlings haue of yeelding them selues vnto the doctrine of Christ Iesus . When Lot admonished the Sodomites , Gen. 19 9. & began to perswade with them to desist from violence against the strangers that were with him in his house ; they cried straite , Shall he iudge and rule ? Forthwith they began to repine against his godly aduise , as against a matter of too much tyrannie in Lot , and of too great subiection in themselues . It was the imputation of Korah and his adherents to Moses and Aaron , Num. 16.3 . You take too much vpon you : they déemed the gouernement of Moses too peremptery , as an enemy to their liberty , & therefore not to be endured . When the Prophet Amos preached , it was said , Amo● 7.10 . that the land was not able to beare his words : as who should say , his sermons were too censorious : men that were of a liberall and free disposition were not able to digest them . One reason which the Iewes had against Christ to stir vp themselues to find a meanes to suppresse him , was , because they supposed that if they let him alone , Iohn 11.48 . the Romanes would come and take away both their place and nation . They thought bondage wold follow vpon his doctrine . This might easily be enlarged with the addition of many examples : but our owne experience may be a sufficient confirmation . For euen at this day the world maintaineth the same opinion of obedience and conformitie in Christian duties , that it is an abridgement to liberty , that it sauoreth of slauishnes & basenesse for a man at the words of a Preacher to be restrained .

Truly sir it is euen so : for out of my poore experience I am able to witnesse thus much , that many men imagine that for them to liue without controlment , following the sway of their owne affections , if they may sweare and blaspheme , and be vicious and riotous , and drink with the drunkard , and profane the Sabbaoth , and scoffe at zeale and sinceritie in religion , and runne into all manner of excesse , this is libertie . On the other side , they repute the restraint from any of these things to be the greatest thraldome ; a misery it is to be kept within compasse , that a man may not sweare , may not spend the Lords day in sports , or in worldly businesses , or in trauelling vpon his owne occasions , that he must set such a narrow watch before his mouth , as that there should be no filthines nor foolish talking , nor iesting : that he should be tied to the continuall hearing of the word , to often receiuing the sacrament , and the like , this is a misery of all miseries , a thing not to be endured : they crie when you tel them these things , This is a hurd saying , who can abide it ? and determine as those of whom you spake , Let vs breake their bands , and cast their cords from vs . But resolue me herin I pray you sir , is this liberty ? Are not men herein altogether mistaken ?

Yes verily : for howsoeuer men think themselues iolly fellowes , because they can seeme to contemne all gouernement , yet in indeed of all conditions it is the basest , and of al thraldomes the most slauish for a man to be subiect vnto sin , to be giuen ouer to his owne lusts , to be led wholly by the corrupt affections of his owne hart , and to say the truth , euen in reason it must needs be so : for , as to be a slaue and a vassall is in it selfe very opprobrious , and such a thing as euen the nature of man doth abhorre : so the more vile he is to whom a man is in bondage , the more base and odious is it in the eyes of others , and the more tedious to himself if he be of any ingenious disposition . Now what more vile thing can there be imagined then sinne is ? What more abhominable before God , what more dangerous to the soule of him that committeth it ? so that sin being a thing so vile , in how seruile an estate is he that is a slaue and a vassal therunto ? Do you conceiue me in this ?

I conceiue you well . But yet this breedes a further doubt : we may all complaine with the Apostle , that we are euen captiue vnto the law of sinne : Rom 7 23. who then is he that may be called a slaue of sinne ?

Our Sauiour shall make you answer : He that committeth sinne , Iohn 8.34 . is the seruant of sinne : to which , to make it more plaine , Rom. 6.16 . you may adde the saying of the Apostle , Know ye not that to whom soeuer you giue your selues as seruants to obey , his seruants you are to whom you obey ? The latter place is an exposition to the other . He ( saith Christ ) that committeth sinne , is the seruant of sinne : he committeth sinne ( sayth Paul ) that obeyeth sin : now he is said to obey sinne , that finding his corrupt heart to prouoke him to any thing , sets himself presently to performe the same , or as the holy Ghost speaketh , taketh thought for the flesh to fulfill the lustes thereof . Rom. 13 14 So the adulterer is a slaue to his sinne , because he is wholly at the commaund thereof , studying how to compasse the same , and to satisfie his vncleane desires to the vttermost . The drunkard is a vassall to his sinne , because it is as it were his businesse , to set himselfe to the committing of it , to get money to bestow vpon it , to gather company that he may haue fellowes in it , to rise early to follow it , to make his body able to beare it . The couetous person is a drudge to his money : for , for it he will do any thing , he will defeate one , and defraud another , and oppresse a third , and grind the fourth , and take vsury of the fift , and rake and wring , and extort , and lie and forsweare , and whatsoeuer else for his money . He is such a seruant to it , as the Centurions seruants were to him : If money say to him , Go , he trudgeth by and by : if it say Come , it hath him at a becke : if it bid him do this , be it neuer so vile , vniust or vnlawful , eftsoons he doth it . In like maner the continual gamester , is as it were in the state of villenage to his humor , he will neglect all other occasions , either of rest for his body , or of profite for his outward estate , or of religion for his soules good , to fulfill it : for his life ( if company be for him ) he is not able to forbeare it . In like sort , the ignorant man is in bondage to his blindnes ; for bring all the perswasions you can against it out of the word of God , yet ignorance shall still haue the vpper hand , either he will not conceiue you , or he wil not beleeue you , or he wil not be directed by you . So againe , the superstitious is in thraldome to his owne peeuishnesse ; for let God commaund what he will , or prescribe what form of worship he thinketh good , yet thus and thus it hath bene so long , and so it shal be , and so wil I do for euer . In a word , whosoeuer suffereth himselfe to be led by the corruption of his owne heart in any thing , without making resistance , without desiring the assistance of Gods spirit to withstand it , whether it be pride , malice , reuenge , or whatsoeuer else , the same is a slaue to his sinne , a drudge to his owne humor , and the basest creature vnder heauen . Nay he is more slauish by degrees , then those slaues whom they vsed in old times ( and as they do still in some countries ) to buy with money , and to vse at their pleasure . For there is no such slaue , but he keepeth a free mind in a seruile estate : but men generally being in this most filthy and wretched thraldome , thinke themselues to be in the most happy estate that may be , and haue no will nor disposition to be freed , but are enemies to the meanes of their deliuery . Thus haue I shewed you , that though men thinke themselues at libertie when they may liue licenciously , yet they are much deceiued : it may be said of them as Noah said of Canaan : Gen. 9 . 2● . seruants of seruants they be , doing the businesse of the diuell , not grudgingly or vnwillingly as bondslaues vsually do , but readily , greedily , and ioyfully .

I am ( I thanke you ) well satisfied for this : yet by the way giue me leaue to demaund of you one thing , doeth not Paul say to Christians , Brethren ye haue bene called into libertie : Gal. 5.13 . so that it seemeth there is libertie euen in Christianitie , which what it is ( if any such be ) I pray you to instruct me .

Certainly the state and calling of a true Christian , is a louely calling , a calling that calleth men vnto it , such a calling as that the beames thereof are able to rauish the eye . True it is , that euer since Adam did eate the apple , all the mouthes of his posterity are so out of tast , that we can neither heare nor see , nor tast any thing that good is , so that if we looke vpon the estate of a Christian liuing in obedience , with an eye of flesh , it looketh euen like Christ for al the world , euen as a withered branch , Isa. 5● . ● and like a root in the drie ground ; when we see it , there is no forme that we should desire it . The eye of a natural man can sée no good in it , vnlesse it be good to cleane vnto the Lord , or it is good to be afflicted , or it is good to run the way of Gods commandements , and such like , which are like pilles , and to die for it , will not downe with a carnall man , yet if it be duly considered , it is the onely estate of libertie . It is not a fleshly libertie , a libertie for men to do and speake , and liue as they themselues please , euery man after his owne fashion , as though the reines should be layed on euery mans neck , and he left to his owne disposition . It is no such liberty , for then the more Libertine the better Christian , and then all the world would soone be religious , for all the world are welneare Libertines . But this liberty which Christians haue , is a spirituall libertie , a heauenly liberty , a liberty of the soule ; not which giueth the body liberty from obedience , but which setteth the soule at liberty from destruction : not which maketh vs free to sin , but which setteth vs frée to serue God : not which giueth a man leaue to liue as caring for none , but which maketh him by loue a seruant vnto all : a fréedome it is from the bondage of Satan , from the thraldom of sin , from the heauy curse of Gods law , giuing an interest into Gods fauor , into the merits of Christ , into the felicity of the chosen , into the eternal inheritance of Gods kingdome . This is the liberty of Christians ; of which , howsoeuer worldly men which sauor onely of earthly things may iudge , yet such it is and so great , & hath so many priuiledges annexed thereunto , as that all the enfranchisements and fréedomes of this world are not worthy therewith to be compared . For as the new Ierusalem , which is from aboue , is of all other cities and incorporations the most glorious , so it is the greatest priuiledge that any man can attaine , to be , of a stranger and a forreiner , admitted to be a citizen and free denizen of that societie . Thus at your request I haue giuen you a taste of the doctrine of Christian Libertie : the obedient Christian is the true free-man , euen the Lords free-man .