WE have Christ's express command for it Mat. 10. v. 8. [Freely ye have received, Freely give] which command the Apostles observed by Preaching the Gospel Freely; without respect to any Reward. By which means Christ and his Apostles were very Poor, and lived by Almes. Yet these poor men planted Christianity in the World, which Rich Church-men by their Covetous­ness have almost rooted out again.

Christ the Eternal wisdom of the Father knew well enough that his Religion could not be planted or propaga­ted, if there lay any Suspicion of Covetousness on the Preach­ers thereof. It was the sincerity of the Apostles that ad­ded authority to their Words; and therefore St. Paul does so often clear himself from the Suspicion of Covetousness, [I have coveted no mans silver, or gold or apparel. Act. 20.33. Neither at any time vsed we a Cloak of Covetousness, God is witness. 1 Thes. 2.5. He calls God to witness, which [Page 2]surely he would not do (saith Bp. Sanderson) nisi dignus vindice nodus, if it did not highly concerne him to stand clear in the eye of the World in that behalf. He wrought with his own hands for his living that he might not be burthen­some to those, to whom he Freely Preached the Gospel. (2. Thes. 3.8.) but that they might know he aimed onely (as every other true Pastor does) at the benefit of their Souls, and nothing at all at his own worldly ends: for thus he saith, I seek not yours but you: not seeking my own pro­fit, but the profit of many that they may be saved. And again whether those that grasp together Pluralities of liv­ings and seek to get into the richest Parsonages, are of St. Pauls mind or no, I leave the World to Judge. But if they are not of St. Pauls mind, they are not worthy to be Christs Messengers. The Servant is not greater than his Lord, nor the Disciple greater than his Master. Christ had not where to lay his Head, lived by Almes, went about on Foot, and had not a piece of Money to pay Caesar his due, but what he got by working a Miracle. Many of our Plu­ralists, &c. Live in stately Pallaces, ride in glorious Chari­ots, and have of the Churches Revenues some 500 l. some 1000 l. some many Thousands a year. And all this they have as a Reward for the good service they do in the Church. This is their Hire: And Christ himself saith the Labourer is worthy of his Hire. Very right.

But what is meant by Hire there? You may see, Mat. 10, v. 10. where it is explained thus [the Work-man is worthy of his Meat.] and this is the Hire Christ allowed his Apostles: and this was reward enough to satisfie an Apostle, because they had the grace of God, which was sufficient for them: But without that, 1000 l. a year is not enough to satiate the desires of some of our Preachers, Food and Raiment is an Apostles Hire: If our Preachers [Page 3](by what names or Titles soever dignified or distinguish­ed, &c.) can do the work better then Christ and his Apo­stles did, then let them in Gods name expect a better re­ward than they had. I presume, St. Peter deserv'd as good Preferment as any Bp. in Christendom, yet saith he, Silver and Gold have I none: And I believe, none he desired, but was content with what his Master allowed him, viz. his Food a slender reward: And yet as slender as this reward was, the Apostles did not do the work for the sake of this reward neither. For no man can be so foolish as to think that the holy Apostles went up and down to Preach for Victuals, and to get their Living (as many amongst us do get into the Priests Office that they may eat a piece of Bread) this Mercenary Trade of Preaching for Victualls had been beneath an Apostolick Spirit. No: they did it Freely without regard to so much as the Bread they Eat. If they had been such mean Hirelings as this, they had been altogether unworthy to be called Apostles. This Hire came by the by, and was not at all in their intentions; ac­cording to that saying of our Lord, First seek the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things (Food and Rai­ment) shall be added unto you. Nay so far were they from seeking to get their Livings by the exercise of their Office, that they lost their very Lives for the same. And Christ proposeth to his followers not preferment, but Persecutions: Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of Wolves.

I do not here condemne all that take Mony of their Con­gregations. It is one thing to take their rewards, and another thing to Preach and Pray for the sake of the reward. St. Paul himselfe sometimes took their Charity, when he knew he might safely do it without danger of being thought covetous: Yet was he always very careful, as to keep his Conscience clear from the Evil, so to keep his credit from all appearance of it. When we have so far wrought our [Page 4]selves into the good opinion of our People that they do not suspect us guilty of Covetousness. Then may we safely take their Charitable relief for the supply of our necessitys. But when the honour of God and the safety of Souls ly at stake, and the takeing of money breeds a strong suspicion in men that we are Covetous, and that Preaching and Praying is but Priest Craft, and a means only to enrich our selves by, we are then bound in Con­science to be very spareing in takeing their Almes, that so we may refrain from all appearance of evil. If we will do the work of God sincerely, we must overlook all Rewards, and suffer no mixture of selfe Love to mingle with and corrupt our pure intentions. That so all men may see our good works, and glorifie our Father which is in Heaven.

I have not written thess things to hinder the true Pa­stor from his Reward; For the Labourer is worthy of his Hire. But then it must be the Labourer, and not the Loyterer. He that does not Work, neither should he Eat. The greedy Pluralist then that does not the Work, but keeps Journey-men Curates to Work for him, does not de­serve so much as the Bread he Eates. And yet com­monly, he that works least, devours the most. This is the common Practice in the present Church, to make Preaching and Praying a mercenary Trade for Gain, and to keep Journey-men Curates. That which was Ordain­ed of Christ as a meanes to draw mens Minds off from the World, Is it self become (through the cunning of Sa­tan) a mercenary Trade to gain the World? Preach­ing and Praying are perverted from their right End, not to gain Souls, but to gain the World. The Disciples did forsake the World to follow Christ: These follow Christ for the sake of the World, or rather forsake him like De­mas, to embrace the present World. Christ made his Apostles Fishers of Men: Satan has made these gree­dy [Page 5]Pluralists Fishers of Money. If these Men were as good Christians as the Apostles they would be content with as small an Allowance as they were: But as far short as they come of them in Goodness, so far would they surpass them in Greatness. Nay were they as good Men as the Heathen Poet, they would be content with Food and Raiment, (as the Apostle also exhorteth)

Juvenal.

He that aims at the wrong End, must needs err all the Way, and he that aimes at Honour or Profit by the Ministry, aims at the wrong End. He that desireth the Office of a Bishop desireth a good work, says the Apostle, he speaks only of the Office and the Work, not the Re­ward. Some indeed do desire the Office and the Work, but as a Means only to attain a further End, namely to get Riches. But this is a base Desire and far unworthy an Apostolick Spirit. And that this is the aim of many in the present Church of England, may appear by this, that when they have attained the End they aimed at, viz. Preferment, they then make but little use of the means, Preaching Praying &c. according to the old Maxim: Acquisito fine cessant media. Just like that Cardinal, who to make shew of Humility and Poverty of spirit, was wont to spread his Table with a Fishing nett; but when he came to be Pope he presently left off the Fishing nett, and being asked why he left off St. Peter's nett, he readily answered, he had already caught the Fish, meaning the Popedome. And many of our Church men do the like at present, when they have gotten the thing they aimed at, Preferment, they usually neglect the Office and the Work: Perhaps employ some underling Curate to do the [Page 6]work for them, allowing him some petty Wages for the same, reserving the greatest Share to themselves for doing little or nothing: Whereas the Labourer and not the Loy­terer is worthy of his Hire. But what reason is this, that one man should do the Work, and another reap the Pro­fit? To argue the Case a little with you, whosoever you are that employ Journey men Curates. If the Curate does the Work, for which the Parsonage is given as a Reward, why should not he have all the Reward that does all the Work? But we suppose that the Curate is not so good a Preacher as the Rector. I answer, you Plu­ralists are the more to blame for employing such Per­sons in a Business of so high a concern, as the saving of Souls, that is not so well qualified for the Work as your selves are. If he be worthy of the Office, I think he is worthier of the Reward, than he that does nothing at all, or but seldom Preaches. If those idle Pluralists that imploy Curates, would advance the best men they could to their Cures, it were the more tolerable. But alass! it concerns the Pluralist for his own Credit to provide a Journey man Curate that does the Work worse than himself. They always aim to imploy greater Dunces than themselves, or like themselves, according to the Proverb,

They consider that it would be a Shame for them to be out done by the Curate; and therefore some of them have taken occasion, to dismiss their Curates for Preach­ing without Book, whatever other Pretence they might have. They are jealouse of a witty Curate, least he should carry the Glory and the Praise, of which they are no less Ambitious, than Covetous of the Gain. Thus Ju­venal could not endure a learned Wife, [ut solaecismum liceat fecisse Marito] and the Indian Queen would admit [Page 7]no beautiful Women into her Court and Service, least Joan should be prefer'd before my Lady. Now then supposing we are to Preach and Pray for Hire or Reward, (which I do deny) What encouragement is here for Vertue and Learning in the present Church of England, when better Scholars are rejected, and worse admitted into Curacies? Yet thus it is: Learned and Eloquent men do usually place dull sorry Curates to sup­ply their Places, that so the Parishioners may the more admire their Doctor, who Preaches tho' but seldom, yet abundantly better than the Curate. They know the Maxim very well Contraria inter se posita magis elucescunt.

Therefore that the People may have a better Opinion of their Doctor than of the Curate, it concerns the Doctor to provide a Curate that Preaches worse than himself. All Arti­ficers, as Shoemakers, Taylors &c. readily employ such Jour­ney men as are most ingenious in their Craft: But alas! 'tis quite otherwise in Priest-craft: There the Pluralist in the matter of Mens Souls, employ such Journey men Curates as are always worse than themselves. Here I could instance in several Particulars, but I spare their Names, one of whom has thrust in a Thorn into his Cure, to stop the Gap, a sor­ry Fence, God knows, to keep the Devil out of his Pa­rish. And if Learned Men employ such sorry Curates, What can we expect from such as have but little Learning? And yet that there are many Dunces advan­ced to Dignities and Pluralities, is an undeniable and palpable Truth. It is obvious to every understanding Man's Knowledge and Observation, That by Bribery, Symony, Affinity, Consanguinity, by Favour, Friendship and base Partiality, very indifferent Scholars, and worse Preachers, are hoysted up into eminent. Places in the pre­sent Church, whilst others that have more Honesty and better Learning, are in a low and mean Condition.

And thus it comes to pass sometimes. A Gentleman has a Presentation of a Living: He breeds up one of his Sons at School; his Son proves a Dunce, yet for his Fees gets a Degree and Orders, and then is Presented, Instituted and Inducted into the Living, which another deserves ten times better. Another Marries the Patrons Daughter or Kinswoman, or crackt Chambermaid, and so climbs up into the Fold by S—k Simony: Ve­ry few or none come into Preferment for their Deserv­ings; and then they employ Curates like themselves; and then the Church of God is like to be well served.

To prevent these and many other Abuses, I wish that nothing were settled upon the Church by Law, but that every Parishioner might give the Minister what he pleased; and that the Ministers would think that Christ's Command to the Apostle, concern'd them too, Freely ye have received, Freely give: Were it thus, none but Religious and Devout Persons would put themselves forward into the Ministry: But now, Preferment be­ing settled upon the Church, he that can get it has it, whether he deserves it or no. The Riches of the Church are a Bait for Covetousness to Bite at; and the more Covetous and Ambitious any Man is, the more forward is he to thrust himself into the Ministry, on purpose to serve his own base Ends. For when there is striving for greater Livings, and fat Parsonages, and but little seeking for Poor ones, any Man may easily judge, whether they seek the Flock or the Fleece, the Salvation of Souls or their own Gain.

It is reported in Baker's Chronicles, That the Prior of a certain Convent in England being dead, many of the Monks made great Interest to the King, to get to be Prior: But the King took notice of one Poor Monk who never sought at all for this Dignity; and asked [Page 9]him, Brother what wilt thou give me to be Prior? not one Farthing said the Monk, for I can serve God as well, (and with more ease) with what allowance I have already, as if I were a Prior, Well then, reply'd the King, I think thou art the fittest man to be Prior, and thou shalt be Prior.

And certainly that man best deserves to be a Priest, or Bishop, that least desires the Profit; and he that desires it at all, deserves it not at all. He that makes Divinity a Step to raise his Fortune by, is altogether unworthy of that high and honourable Office. And yet alas! the World is overspread with these Locusts, who make Preach­ing and Praying the servile Instruments and Trades to get Riches by. The present Church of England, is quite diffe­rent from the Christian Church in the Apostles times, when they Preached Freely, (as Christ commanded them) and their Flocks as Freely supported their Pastors, Here was no pulling and halling of Duties, from the Congregation by quarrelsom Suits of Law, but all of them resembled God their Father in giving Freely to each other, the Pa­stor his Spiritual to his Flock, and they again as Freely their Temporal to their Pastor, without the least strife or constraint. God grant to us the same Spirit, that we may be not only Professors of Christianity, but Christians in­deed, and make it appear by our Works, that we have not only the shew, but the power of Godlyness.

Now let us consider the ill consequences and effects of this mercenary Trade of Preaching for gain. All that do this, are Hirelings, and therefore no true Sheepherds: And Christ tells us, that the Hireling fleeth when he seeth the Wolfe coming, because he is but a Hireling: and so the Wolfe scatters and devours the Sheep, Just so do all mercenary Preachers, seeing the Wolfe of Popery or Persecution com­ing, presently fly from their own principals, giving way [Page 10]to the Wolfe. For what cares the Hireling so long as he has his Hire? He matters not which Master he serves, God, or Satan. Whereas he that is content to Preach Freely, and has no Preferment to lose, has no temptation on him, to make him tack about every time the wind Turns, like the Vicar of Bray, but stands immovable like a Rock in the midst of the Waves of this trouble­some World.

This mercenary Preaching for gain, hath caused a very great decay of Piety and Religion amongst all men. For men observing the minds of their Teachers set upon this World, are apt to believe that there is no other World, and that the Resurrection, a future State, Heaven and Hell, are but Chymera's and Fables invented by Priests, as I have heard an Athiest affirm, who told me, One bird in hand (mean­ing the present Life) is better than two in the bush, (meaning the Life to come) I am affraid that the Cove­tousness of Church-men Imbracing this present World, has most powerfully taught Atheism and Irreligion, Their Examples overthrow their Doctrine.

Tis in vain to Preach against Covetousness, (which no man that has his mouth stopp'd with 2 or 3 Steeples (can well do) if it appear that our very Preaching is but a means to gain Riches, and an effect of Covetousness it self. This Preaching for filthy Lucre has in a great measure eva­cuated, enervated, and made void the Gospel of Christ, so that it cannot have that influence upon the Hearts of men as it had in the primitive times, when it was sincerely Preach­ed, without any other design save the honour of God, and the Salvation of Souls. And it will never recover its strength and efficacy again, till it be Preached by such Per­sons as have indeed renounced the World, and shew the [Page 11]same heroick and Apostolick Spirit, that was in St. Paul and the other Apostles, who had not an Eye to the World, but only to God and his truth. He that pretends he aims at both, the saving of Souls, and his own gain, seems to me as strange a Prodigie as Janus, having two Faces that look East and West at the same time. For who can look at two objects so directly opposite as God, and the World? Tis the intention that has the greatest force to render an action good or evil. If in our Sermons we aim at Profit or ap­plause, or any thing save the glory of God, and the benefit of Soul's, then are our affections insincere, and will prove as unacceptable to God, as unprofitable to men. If thine Eye be evil, thy whole body is full of darkness. If the inten­tion be naught, all is naught. They that follow Christ, and Preach for the sake of gain, and to grow Rich by the Church revenews, are like Judas, who followed Christ, that he might get something by him. The other Apostles forsook all to follow Christ: but Judas followed him for the sake of gain. First he got to be Purser, and to carry the Poors bagg, (the Treasure of the Church) from whence he was wont sacrilegiously to filch and steal, and at last sold his master outright for ready money. Just so do all covetous Church men creep into the Church, on purpose to inrich themselves by the Churches revenews, and when they can get nothing any longer by defending the truth, you may observe them to fly from the truth, and deny their own Principles. When they are like to come to any loss for Christ's sake, they will readily betray his truth either by silence or contradiction. But he that Preaches Freely, is safe from being tempted to be a Turn-coat, or a time-server, or man-pleaser. He that Preaches Freely in this sence, may also Preach Freely in another sence, that is to say, with greater freedom and Liberty of Speech, than the [Page 12]hireling, who is affraid to speak the whole truth for fear of displeasing men, and so losing his Hire.

Brave and noble was the intention of Hannah, in dedica­ting her young Son Samuel to the Lord, not to get his li­ving by his service at the Altar: Base and ignoble are the intentions of all those parents, who breed up their Sons at Schools and Universities, on purpose to provide for them in the World, and to raise their Fortunes by the treasure of the Church, by bestowing on them such livings as they have in their own gift: by which means those that are far fitter for the Office, are shut out.

As for Simony (falsly so called) who knows, not that it is a common practice in the present Church? Can it be imagined by any thinking man that a Patrone, who gives a great summe of money for the advowson of a Living, will be so simple as to give a Presentation for nothing. No: He that buyes the Devil (as we say in the proverb) must sell the Devil too. And then the worst man must have it: For no good man will be guilty of Simony and Perjury withall, for the sake of the best Living in the world. We all justly condemne that Cardinall who gave himself to the Devil to be Pope: But he is a worse fool that gives his money to the Patrone, and his Soul to the Devil by Perjury, for the sake of a Parsonage or Vicaridge. And when we observe that meer Ignoramus's are in great Livings, and wiser men shut out, every one of sence may well imagin, that not their vertue, but their money, advanced them to the same: and then the Church is like to be served well, when he that should Preach against covetousness, Perjury and simony, is himself a covetous Perjur'd simonist, and de­serves rather to stand in a Pillory than a Pulpit. Alas! 'Tis not the holy spirit of God calls these men to the Mini­stry, but Covetousness the root of all evil.

Wherefore to avoid all these grievous Sins, we must [Page 13]shun Covetousness (for they that will be rich, fall into Temptation) and Preach Freely, and when we have so done, we must still say, we are unprofitable Servants, we have done what was our Duty to doe. They that Preach for reward, Christ will say unto them as he did to the Pha­rises, they have their reward, and all the reward they are like to have in this Life. But he that is content with his allowance of meat and livery, in the mean time, shall in the end, when he has done his Days work, receive an unmeasurable reward; even Eternal Life. And as he did the work Freely, not for the sake of reward, so shall God Freely give him a reward, not of Merit, but of Grace.

I shall now answer some few objections, that may be made, and then conclude.

1st. They will object, That this Preaching for nothing will make us Poor, and thereby Contemptible.

I answer, the Apostles were Poor, yet very honourable. But by your own objection, you tacitely confess, that 'tis not your Vertue or Worth, but your Riches that renders you honourable; and then the respect and honour you have, is not given to you, but to your money. When an Ass went through the City with a golden Image on his back, the superstitious People fell on their knees and worship'd: The silly Ass thought they had worship'd him, whereas they worship'd only the golden Image on his back. Just so the common People do honour, and worship Rich Church men for the sake of their God, their Mammon, their Silver and golden Images.

Conscisum Argentum in titulos faciesa minutas. Juvenal.

2ly. they object, That the Apostles where Rich-men; Had they not more then any of our Church-men? For did not many men sell their whose Estates, and bring the price thereof, and laid it at the Apostles feet. Acts. 4. v. 37. Very true.

But the Apostles were not much the Richer for it: For they were not so good Husbands as to Pocket it up, (as our Priests, &c. do) but distribution was made for the relief and necessity of the Poor Christians, according as they had need. v. 35. Let them look to it, that appropriate to themselves the Revenews of the Church, which were given by Religious Papists, and put into the hands of Church­men, not that they should, like Judas, convert it to their own Private use, but imploy it to the relief of the Poor.

3ly. They object, that they have not received their ta­lent Freely, (as the Apostles did) but that they gave mo­ney for their Learning, for their Degrees, for their Orders, Li­cences, Institution, Induction, and (I believe they may tru­ly say) for their Presentation too. And how do we re­ceive Freely then.

I answer, They are very ungrateful to God, who deny him to be the Author and giver of every good thing we lawfully enjoy. He gave us all things Freely, and we are ungratefull if we do not Freely give to him, what he has so Freely given us.

If they get into the Church by Bribery, Simony, Perjury, or any other unlawful way, they may not thank God, but the Devil for it; and he will upbraid them with it afterwards to their shame, that he made them Rich.

4ly. They object, that they that serve at the Altar, should live by the Altar: And Bp. Sanderson saith, that since God himself has ordained Wages to him that labours in his work, he may not only expect it, but even exact it too, from those that would unconscionably defraud him thereof.

I answer, They that serve at the Altar should live by the Altar; But can they not live without 5 or 6 hundred, or a 1000 l. or 4 or 5 Thousand pounds a Year? If they expect, or exact more, than what is enough to keep them and their [Page 15]Families alive, they expect and exact more than God has­allowed the very Apostles themselves. But to return your objection on your own heads, if they that serve at the Altar, should live by the Altar, why are you so unresona­ble, as to deny your Journey-men, that serve for you at the Altar, to live by it, but are many of them forced to get their livings by teaching School, or some other way.

I allow then, that if unconscionable men will deny you your Meat and Cloathing, you may exact it of them, (pro­vided you Labour in the Work) But I think it were better (by Bp. Sandersons leave) not to goe to Law with ungrate­ful People for a little Victualls and Drink, but rather (as Christ commanded the Apostles) to shake of the dust from your Feet, as a witness against them, and so leave them.

By all that has been said, I hope it appears plainly, that it is the Duty of Christ's Ministers, (notwithstanding God has allowed them Food, &c.) to execute their Office Freely, without respect to that, or any other reward; when we have done thus, we must yet confess we are unprofitable Servants, we have done but what was our duty to do, and woe be to us (as St. Paul said of himselfe) if we Preach not the Gospel, and that Freely too. Were this lesson well learned of us, there would be no striving after Pluralities and dig­nities, no Bribery nor Simony nor Perjury in the Church, but that a righteous, and gratious, and learned Person that is Poor, might as soon be advanced to a Bishoprick, as an ignorant, covetous, ungratious Person that is Rich. They that seek for Rectories, Vicaridges, Bishopricks for the sake of gain, are no better than those that followed Christ for the sake of the Loaves: And are no better ahen the Heathens: (for af­ter all these things do the Heathens seek.)

When Christianity began to Flourish, and Kings and Emperours to embrace the Christian Faith; and out of their zeal for Religion, made Laws for the support of [Page 16]Church-men, and admitted none into Offices but Christi­ans; many wicked Persons professed themselves Christi­ans, meerly to get Offices and Preferment; just as our Sea and Land Captains and Officers, who living in a constant and habitual Practice of Cursing, Swearing, Blaspheming, &c. do yet take the Communion to qua­lifie them for the King's Service. So ungodly Men screw themselves into the Ministry for the sake of Gain: Ʋngodly men I say, for no godly man desires the Office of a Bishop or Priest, for the sake of filthy Lucre. I am sorry that the Liberal Arts should become servile, and Divinity it self made a Slave to Mammon. I am sorry that the pretended Disciples of Christ, should strive to be so very much Richer than their Master; and they that are not so good Teachers as the Apostles, should yet desire to be so very much above them. I am sor­ry that Covetousness has crept into the Hearts of Church­men: 'Twas the Covetousness of the Clergy brought in those abominable Errors into the Church of Rome; as Purgatory, Praying for the dead, Indulgences, Pardons, and Intercession to Saints, by which means they gull'd and fool'd the ignorant deluded vulgar, and got much of their Lands from them to the Church: Yet these Popish Bishops and Kings, did great works of Charity, with what they by their cunning Devices got from the People: They Built and endow'd abundance of Colledges and Schools, Hospitals and Churches. But the Prote­stants, that have these things at present in their Possessi­on, do make a worse use than those Papists did; for these employ the same to the support of their own Pride and Luxury.

'Tis Covetousness makes the Roman party strive to bring in Popery again, that so they may recover their ill gotten Lands. 'Tis Covetousness in the adverse Party [Page 17]that makes them prick up their Ears, with hopes one time or another to get uppermost; that they may en­joy the Riches of the Church: All quarreling betwixt these Parties about Religion, is but like that of Rivals, contending for a Rich Lady, take away her Dowry and her Covetous Rivals will soon quit their persuit. Ve­niunt a dote sagittae. None will follow her for her Beau­ty or Virtue. Just so let the Church be made Poor, and disrobed of her gorgeous Ornaments, and then you shall see, these false Lovers will soon forsake her. He is the true Lover only that Preaches freely, and loves Religion, not for her Riches, but for her Beauty of Ho­liness. Great is Diana of the Ephesians! Thus they cryed out, not for love of the Goddesse, but for fear if her Worship ceased their Gain and Proffit would cease together; 'Twas for the sake of Gain that they serv­ed a false Goddesse: 'Tis for the sake of gain that Co­vetous men serve the true God, as the Devil falsely up­braided Job. A true Church-man, (and every true Christian) must look higher than the things below, and be content to suffer for Christs sake, proposing to himself Afflictions, Reproaches, Poverty, yea and Death it self, if the honour of God and the defence of his Truth require it. For the true Pastor, as he ought not, so neither can he reasonably expect to grow rich in this World; because his business is to rebuke Sin, and not to please men by flattery or connivance. Now 'tis not reasonable to think that such a Reformer should have much favour from the World. No, they that tell Truth, shall be fed with the bread of Affliction and the water of Affliction, whilst the false Prophets shall be fed at Jezebels Table. The World loves the Hireling best, because the Hireling always Preaches pleasing things, otherwise they know they shall forfeit their Hire. Thus [Page 18]they have their great Livings, not for declaring the whole Truth, but for holding their Tongues, just as a false Witness is suborn'd or hir'd to be silent when he should speak the Truth. The Devil sometimes gives Church-men great Livings to stop their Mouths, that they may not Preach against Popery or Rebellion, or a­ny work of Darkness, that Satan the Prince of Dark­ness is about. Just as the Thief in the Fable, offered the Dog a piece of bread to bribe him to forbear Bark­ing. A true Witness will speak the Truth without be­ing Hired to do it, but a false Witness must be sub­born'd and Hired, and these Hirelings are the only Fa­vourites of the World: The people love the Hirelings, because they flatter them, but hate the true Pastors be­cause they boldly tell the unpleasing Truth: According as the Prophet Jeremiah has said, cap. 5.30.31. A won­derful and horrible thing is committed in the land. The prophets prophesie falsely, &c. and my people love to have it so: &c. The Hireling sells his Sermons at as dear a rate as he can; and we say in the Proverb, Magis illa juvant, quae pluris emuntur. Things dear bought, are good for Ladies; those delicate people that cannot endure the severity of Gods Truth, are best pleased with those tem­porizing fawning Chaplains, that sow Pillows, and daub with untempered Mortar. A Hireling by corrupting the Word of God gets Preferment, but a true Pastor like John the Baptist, sometimes loses his Life for tel­ling the Truth.

If Christ whipt out of the Temple, such as Bought and Sold there, What shall become of them that Buy and sell the very Temples themselves? What shall be­come of them that Sell their very Sermons and Pray­ers, &c. What shall become of them that turn the ho­ly Calling into a mercenary Trade for Gain?

I for my part am no Hireling, but a Member of that pure and unspotted Church, all whose Sons resemble their heavenly Father, in giving Freely what he has freely given them. For as God has freely given to us life and being, and all things, yea and his own Son Freely, so does every one of his Children, freely impart and communicate to each other. 'Tis not the Prayers, nor Ceremonies, nor Articles, nor Homilies I Object a­gainst, but the Pride and Covetousness of the present Church.

And therefore that Church, wherein Preaching is made a Trade for gain, that Church wherein Dignities are bestowed by Partiality, that Church wherein there is no respect to Learning: That Church which forbids Ma­riage, that Church which Beats and Banishes her Pastors for Preaching the same sound Doctrine she pretends to maintain, that Church wherein Buying and Selling of Parsonages, &c. are constantly practiced, that Church that takes no Care of her own, namely those of her own Houshold. I do renounce, with all the covetous De­sires thereof, as being fully perswaded, that the nearer to this Church, the farther from God.